Effects of information seeking on cancer patients' concerns about long-term risks

Cancer patients often report being concerned about the chance of recurrence, the long-term health problems associated with treatment, and their family's risk of developing cancer. Research reveals that many patients actively seek information about their cancer from medical, interpersonal, and media sources; however, little is known about whether the act of seeking affects subsequent concerns about long-term risks. This study explores this relationship, for while seeking may produce more informed patients, it may also have important unintended consequences. In Fall 2006 and 2007, we conducted a population-based mail survey of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients diagnosed in Pennsylvania in 2005. Respective baseline response rates were 68%, 64%, and 61%. Of 2013 baseline respondents, 85% agreed to be re-contacted one year later; of these, 76% completed the follow-up survey (n=1293). Linear regression results showed that patients who sought more information from interpersonal and media sources at baseline reported significantly greater concerns about long-terms risks at follow-up, controlling for potential confounders such as demographics, disease stage, treatments received, level of worry at diagnosis, and baseline concerns about risks. These lagged effects of seeking held up in a propensity model that adjusted for additional potential confounders. Findings suggest that educators and clinicians could play an important role in guiding patients to high-quality information sources and counseling them about specific personal and family risks. Future research will consider whether the heightened levels of concern experienced by high information seekers are related to positive or negative health outcomes.