Online Health Information Seeking Before and After Oncology Consultations and its Impact on Patients' Anxiety and Uncertainty—A Longitudinal Questionnaire Study

Introduction: Patients with cancer increasingly engage in online health information seeking (OHIS), yet the impact thereof on their anxiety and uncertainty remains unclear. This study aimed to: (1) examine how, when, and why patients engage in OHIS before and after oncological consultations; (2) identify patient characteristics (sociodemographic, medical, psychological) associated with OHIS; and (3) explore the relationship between OHIS, state anxiety, and uncertainty. Methods: Patients with various cancer diagnoses and at various phases-of-care completed three self-report questionnaires: before (T0), directly after (T1), and 2 weeks after (T2) their outpatient consultation. Results: Half (50%) of patients (n = 281) engaged in OHIS. Commonly sought topics included physical complaints (T0: 57%, T2: 51%), chances of recovery after treatment and life expectancy (T0: 48%, T2: 47%), and common treatments (T0: 43%, T2: 33%). A stronger monitoring coping style, higher levels of trait anxiety, higher educational levels, and early phase-of-care were significantly associated with OHIS (all p < 0.01). Age, gender, health literacy, or uncertainty intolerance were not associated with OHIS (all p > 0.05). Seekers reported more uncertainty than non-seekers (p < 0.001), but OHIS was not significantly associated with state anxiety (p = 0.642). Conclusion: One in two patients engaged in OHIS, particularly those who are recently diagnosed, highly educated, generally anxious or have a stronger monitoring coping style. Clinicians should not be concerned that patients' OHIS will increase patients' anxiety, as this study found no such association. As OHIS was associated with uncertainty, future research should explore whether addressing OHIS in consultations reduces uncertainty.