Informational needs of recently diagnosed cancer patients

Informational needs of 60 recently diagnosed cancer patients were assessed in relation to their disease, personal, family, and social concerns. The theoretical framework underlying the study was constructed from theories of coping, appraisal, information seeking, needs, and hierarchy of needs. Categories of analysis were derived from these theories and from findings of previous research. The Derdiarian Informational Needs Assessment was used to gather data. Patients' informational needs were described in relation to harms, threats, and resources and to their importance values associated with the major categories of disease, personal, family, and social concerns. Comparisons of informational needs and their importance values among patients stratified by person- or situation-related variables indicated few differences by gender, age, and stage of cancer. The findings imply that informational needs may be universal and warrant research on their relationship to these variables.