How to Find an Alternative? A Typology of Cancer Patients’ Information Behavior Regarding CAM

• In Event: Complementary and Integrative Treatments and Interventions

Abstract

Due to a lack of evidence-based information, there is a controversial debate on the status of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatment. To participate in shared decision making processes and to make informed decisions, patients need to gain an adequate understanding of medical information regarding their illness and respective treatment options. In this, media play an essential role in empowering patients. We thus ask: What types of information behaviors do cancer patients apply with regard to complementary and alternative medicine? From existing literature, we developed a theoretical framework a theoretical framework to analyze cancer patients’ information behavior regarding CAM and conducted 50 semi-structured qualitative interviews with cancer patients. As a result, we present a typology of cancer patients’ information behavior based on the theoretical framework. We discuss how different types may influence patients’ empowerment in the decision making process and outline potential improvements in media-related health communication.

Authors

• Michael Grimm, Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research

• Stefanie Wahl, Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research