Health information-seeking experience in people with head and neck neoplasms undergoing treatment: a qualitative study

To describe the health information-seeking experience and its influencing factors of people with head and neck neoplasms undergoing treatment.

This was a descriptive phenomenology study. Participants were recruited by purposive sampling. The semistructured interviews and all observation results were recorded. The data were analysed using Colaizzi’s method.

Fourteen participants were selected. We identified four themes that illustrate factors that influence the health information-seeking behaviour of participants: patients’ awareness of health information needs, patients’ competence, doctor–patient communication, and online advertising interference. We also determined the value of different types of information and patients’ information needs and sources.

These findings can help professionals understand patients’ behaviours and think about how to deliver practical information support in a network environment to guide patients in continuous information seeking while taking specific factors into account.