Internet Use, eHealth Literacy, and Influencing Factors in Turkish Cancer Patients: A Descriptive and Correlational...

This study aimed to determine the Internet use, eHealth literacy levels, and influencing factors in Turkish cancer patients.

A descriptive and correlational study was conducted in a single cancer center with 296 patients. Data were collected using a personal information form, an Internet Usage Form, and the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann‒Whitney U test, Kruskal‒Wallis test, and multiple linear regression analysis.

The participants received health-related information from the Internet (36.8%) with a mean total eHEALS score of 22.92 ± 9.67. In the multiple linear regression analysis, the descriptive characteristics of the participants were negatively affected by age (β = -0.143) and education level (β = 0.204). The use of the Internet to obtain information about cancer (β = 0.455) positively affected the level of eHealth literacy. The eHealth literacy of patients is at a level that needs to be improved and there are factors affecting it.

Nurses should increase patients' eHealth literacy and guide them on how to access accurate information about cancer on the Internet. While doing this, it should be planned to consider the age, education level, and Internet use of the patients.