Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Are Associated With Satisfaction With Information Provision and Internet Use Among 3080 Cancer Survivors: Results of the PROFILES Registry.

BACKGROUND

Dissatisfaction with information provided by healthcare providers may be a reason for cancer survivors to seek health information on the Internet and may also result in more symptoms of anxiety and depression among this population.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate whether anxious and depressive symptoms are associated with satisfaction with information provision and Internet use among cancer survivors.

METHODS

All individuals diagnosed with endometrial or colorectal cancer between 1998 and 2007 or lymphoma or multiple myeloma between 1999 and 2008 as registered in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry were invited for participation. In total, 4 446 survivors received a questionnaire including the 25-item European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group Information questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; 69% responded (n = 3080).

RESULTS

Having anxious (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-0.9; P < .05) or depressive symptoms (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; P < .001), or both (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; P < .001) were negatively associated with experienced helpfulness of the received information. Having depressive symptoms or having both depressive and anxious symptoms were negatively associated with satisfaction with information (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7, respectively; P < .001). Having depressive symptoms was negatively associated with disease-related Internet use (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9; P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The results may indicate that information provision is suboptimal, either because it is not adjusted to the mental health status of cancer patients or because it is unsatisfactory and thereby causing anxious and depressive symptoms among cancer patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: More attention should be paid to optimally adjust the information provision to the individual needs of the cancer patients for better mental health.