Confused Learner. Online Health Information Seeking by Breast Cancer Patients

The aim of this study was to reconstruct online health information seeking behaviors during oncological treatment. The qualitative research, in the interpretive paradigm, was conducted in Poland and Croatia. Purposive sampling was used. The participants were breast cancer patients after the oncological diagnosis obtained no more than 5 years before the study. A total of 24 participants aged 34 to 76 were enrolled in the study. In-depth interviews were conducted. Reflexive thematic analysis was used. Five strategies of involvement or non-involvement in online information-seeking required by health crisis used by research participants were identified: overly active/obsessive online information-seeking, active online information-seeking, withdrawing from online information-seeking, avoidance, non-involvement. The strategies are also ways of coping with illness and learning during a health crisis. They are associated with many burdens. That is why some cancer patients become confused learners.