Online health consultation: examining uses of an interactive cancer communication tool by low-income women with breast cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To examine how psychosocial variables predicted use of an online health consultation service among low-income breast cancer patients and in turn how using this service affected these same psychosocial outcomes.

Method

This retrospective study included 231 recently diagnosed, low-income (at or below 250% of the federal poverty level) breast cancer patients provided a free computer with 16 weeks of access to the Internet-based 'Ask an Expert' service offered as part of the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) "Living with Breast Cancer" program. The use activity included a total of 502 messages submitted to the online health consultation service. The data included five psychosocial variables: information seeking, social support, health self efficacy,

SUBMITTER: Lu HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3627128 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature