Digital information-seeking behaviors among cancer survivors: associations with sociodemographic determinants, cancer history, and perceived health
Roberto M. Benzo, Macy K Tetrick, Jessica L. Krok‐Schoen, Theodore M. Brasky, Peter Washington, Electra D. Paskett, Frank J. Penedo, Rujul Singh, Michael Shechtman, Soledad Fernández, Sachin Kumar, Mahkameh Mallahzadeh, James L. Fisher
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine general and digital information-seeking behaviors among U.S. cancer survivors and assess how these behaviors are patterned by sociodemographic and clinical factors. The study addressed a key gap in prior research by using registry-confirmed cancer data to explore disparities in digital engagement. METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2021 Health Information National Trends Survey-Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (HINTS-SEER), which included 1,234 cancer survivors from three SEER registries. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated associations between information-seeking (general and digital) and sociodemographic (e.g., age, sex, income) and clinical factors (e.g., cancer site, stage at diagnosis, treatment effects). RESULTS: Most survivors (77.8%) reported having sought cancer-related information, and 73.9% used digital tools to look for health information. Survivors who were younger, female, more educated, and with higher income were significantly more likely to engage in both general and digital information-seeking when compared to older, male, or less educated. Survivors reporting cancer- and treatment-related nausea or neuropathy were more likely to engage in information-seeking when compared to survivors without these symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer survivors' engagement in information-seeking, especially through digital tools, is shaped by heterogeneity in age, sex, education, income, and clinical experiences. These findings highlight the persistence of the digital divide in survivorship care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Equity-focused efforts are needed to support digital access and literacy among underserved survivors. Tailored interventions, plain-language digital content, and provider-facilitated referrals to digital evidence-based resources may help bridge informational gaps and enhance survivorship self-management.