Wu Yanjun, Li Shenglu, Zhou Yan, Duan An, Zhuo Qiqi
Department of Cancer Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 Aug 26;13:1584952. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1584952. eCollection 2025.
Although information provision improves physical and psychological well-being, few studies have evaluated Chinese cancer patients' information needs. Our study aimed to explore the health information-seeking experiences of Chinese cancer patients, focusing on their needs, preferences, and cultural influences. This will inform the development of culturally sensitive and patient-centered information provision strategies.
Semi-structured face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 cancer patients. Participants were recruited in one oncology unit in China from November 2023 to February 2024. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed by two researchers, evaluated using conventional content analysis, and translated.
Four themes and eleven categories emerged from the qualitative data: passively received information (let nature take its course, maintain harmonious relationships); seeking emotional support (seeking positive stories, encouragement from healthcare professionals, family members' involvement); different roles of information (reassuring, troublesome, difficult truths) and optimal way to obtain information (plain language, individualized, trust in the doctor most).
The influence of culture on patients' information needs is inevitable. In China, healthcare professionals should encourage patients with cancer to express their information needs in order to develop health information provision strategies tailored to their needs. Notably, emotional support helps maintain psychological well-being. Family members' involvement in information-seeking progress is also an important component of emotional support. Information provision should be individualized and aligned with the patients' information-seeking styles and individual differences. Furthermore, healthcare professionals must use plain language, provide accurate information, and correctly guide patients on online information-seeking.
尽管提供信息可改善身心健康，但很少有研究评估中国癌症患者的信息需求。我们的研究旨在探索中国癌症患者寻求健康信息的经历，重点关注他们的需求、偏好和文化影响。这将为制定具有文化敏感性和以患者为中心的信息提供策略提供依据。
对17名癌症患者进行了半结构化面对面深度访谈。2023年11月至2024年2月在中国的一个肿瘤科室招募了参与者。访谈进行了录音，由两名研究人员转录，采用常规内容分析法进行评估并翻译。
定性数据产生了四个主题和十一个类别：被动接收信息（顺其自然、维持和谐关系）；寻求情感支持（寻求积极故事、医护人员的鼓励、家庭成员的参与）；信息的不同作用（让人安心、麻烦、难以接受的真相）以及获取信息的最佳方式（通俗易懂的语言、个性化、最信任医生）。
文化对患者信息需求的影响不可避免。在中国，医护人员应鼓励癌症患者表达他们的信息需求，以便制定符合其需求的健康信息提供策略。值得注意的是，情感支持有助于维持心理健康。家庭成员参与信息寻求过程也是情感支持的重要组成部分。信息提供应个性化，并与患者的信息寻求方式和个体差异相匹配。此外，医护人员必须使用通俗易懂的语言，提供准确信息，并正确指导患者进行在线信息寻求。
