---
"title": "Internet Use Among Cancer Patients"
"description": "E-patients have a huge appetite for high-quality, relevant content."
"date": "2006-08-10"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Susannah Fox"
    "job_title": "Former Researcher"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/susannah-fox/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/2006/08/10/internet-use-among-cancer-patients/"
"categories":
  - "Health Policy"
  - "Medicine & Health"
  - "Online Search"
---

# Internet Use Among Cancer Patients

A [study](http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/uhcm/2006/00000011/00000002/art00007) recently published in the Journal of Health Communication shows that a new cancer diagnosis affects how a person uses the internet for health information. I was asked to review the study for [BreastLink.org](http://www.breastlink.org/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=233), which also asked an oncologist, Dr. Paul Helft, to provide his insights. The result is a nice perspective on “what does this mean for me?” that is often missing from short press accounts of groundbreaking studies. As we have seen in our research, e-patients have a huge appetite for high-quality, relevant content. The BreastLink article is an example of the [“long tail”](http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/) of health information.