Sources of information used by patients to learn about chemotherapy side effects

Background. Little is known about the relative importance of specific information sources patients use to obtain knowledge about treatment side effects. The authors examined information sources used to learn about side effects, why patients believe they will experience some but not others, and the meanings side effects have in terms of treatment efficacy. Methods. Before treatment, 31 ovarian cancer patients and 81 men and women with a variety of cancer diagnoses completed a questionnaire assessing their expectations about experiencing specific side effects of chemotherapy and information sources used. Results. The doctor or nurse was the most frequently cited source of side-effect information, with readings second. While most thought they would get certain side effects because the doctor or nurse had said so, most instinctively believed they would not get others. Conclusions. Patients relied on medical and non-medical information sources. Further research could examine other sources for their influences on information-seeking activities.