Experiences of health information-seeking among patients with cancer in China: a qualitative study

The influence of culture on patients' information needs is inevitable. In China, healthcare professionals should encourage patients with cancer to express their information needs in order to develop health information provision strategies tailored to their needs. Notably, emotional support helps maintain psychological well-being. Family members' involvement in information-seeking progress is also an important component of emotional support. Information provision should be individualized and aligned with the patients' information-seeking styles and individual differences. Furthermore, healthcare professionals must use plain language, provide accurate information, and correctly guide patients on online information-seeking.