Web research boosts patients' confidence

A study of cancer patients' behavior carried out by the Philadelphia, USA-based, Temple University, has con-cluded that newly diagnosed patients who use the Internet to research their disease and possible treatments have a more positive outlook, as well as being more active par-ticipants in their treatment. The research appears in the March issue of the Journal of Health Communication.

Sarah Bass, the principal investigator and professor of Public Health at Temple University said: "this is the first study to look at the relationship between Internet use and patient behaviors." She added, "we wanted to see if access to readily available information about their condition helped patients to cope with issues such as hair loss and other treatment side effects."

Internet-user patients: partners not subjects