Rural cancer survivors' health information needs post-treatment

This study describes the most common cancer-related health information needs among rural cancer survivors and characteristics associated with reporting more information needs.

Rural breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors, two to five years post-diagnosis, identified from an institutional cancer registry, completed a mailed/telephone-administered survey. Respondents were asked about 23 health information needs in eight domains (tests and treatment, side effects and symptoms, health promotion, fertility, interpersonal, occupational, emotional, and insurance). Poisson regression models were used to assess relationships between number of health information needs and demographic and cancer characteristics.

Participants (n = 170) reported an average of four health information needs, with the most common domains being: side effects and symptoms (58 %), health promotion (54 %), and tests and treatment (41 %). Participants who were younger (compared to 5-year increase, rate ratio [RR] = 1.11, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.21), ethnic minority (RR = 1.89, 95 % CI = 1.17-3.06), less educated (RR = 1.49, 95 % CI = 1.00-2.23), and financially stressed (RR = 1.87, 95 % CI = 1.25-2.81) had a greater number of information needs.

Younger, ethnic minority, less educated, and financially strained rural survivors have the greatest need for informational support.

The provision of health information for rural cancer survivors should consider type of cancer, treatments received, and sociocultural differences to tailor information provided.