Sources and Information Needs of Patients with Colorectal Cancer and Physician's Viewpoints in the Northeast of Iran: A Cross‐sectional Study

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers, and it is the third and fourth most common cancer among Iranian men and women, respectively. Patients suffering from cancer have different information needs, and one of the most important and reliable sources of information for them is their physicians. Providing adequate information will reduce patients' anxiety and empower them, and proper planning in this field requires awareness of patients' needs. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the sources and information needs of patients suffering from colorectal cancer and physicians' viewpoints regarding this issue.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey-based study was conducted from May to December 2017. All patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and physicians in oncology outpatient clinics at a specialized cancer hospital and a radiotherapy oncology center in Mashhad, Iran (the only specialized cancer centers in the northeastern part of Iran) were invited to participate in the study using the census technique. The patient questionnaire was about patients' attitudes toward the consultant's information and disease, information leaflets, the treatments and complications of the disease, and information sources for the disease. And the physician questionnaire was about the information the physician would give to the patients regarding their disease, treatment options, side effects, who is considered to inform the patients of their diagnosis, the patient's use of the Internet as a source of information, and training to provide the patient with information.Results: The mean ages of the patients and physicians participating in this study were 50.72 ± 16.15 and 40.03 ± 11.08 years, respectively. Most of the cases (44.8%) wanted to know everything about their illness as much as possible, while 45.5% of the patients needed the information. The majority (85.9%) of the participants were willing to know about all possible therapies regarding their illness, while 63.3% of the physicians provided treatment options that were suitable for the patient in their view, and only 33.3% of the physicians told the patients all possible treatment options. The patients received the most useful information from medical staff, family and friends, the Internet, brochures, magazines, and newspapers. Among all, 37% of the cases said that information on the Internet was highly reliable, while 60% of the physicians believed that if the content of the information on the Internet was carefully selected, it could be useful.Conclusion: Information regarding the illness, diagnosis, and treatment is one of the essential needs for patients suffering from colorectal cancer. It seems that it is necessary to have a good and organized plan to provide the patients suffering from colorectal cancer with the required information and increase their health information literacy as one of their undeniable rights.