The relationship between the information-seeking behaviours and information needs of partners of men with prostate cancer: a pilot study

Although information can have many benefits for individuals with cancer, information-seeking theories suggest that some individuals fail to benefit from voluminous information. Therefore, it is important that the information-seeking behaviours of patients and their families are taken into consideration when identifying their needs for information. This pilot study investigated the relationship between the information-seeking behaviours and information needs of partners of men with prostate cancer. Thirty-nine partners of men with prostate cancer completed the study instruments, which identified their information-seeking behaviours and their information needs. Significant and positive correlations were found between participants’ information-seeking behaviours and their information needs, suggesting that as individuals’ propensities to seek information increased so too did their needs for information. The results suggest that researchers and healthcare professionals need to take into consideration the information-seeking behaviours of patients and their family members when identifying their information needs.