Charles A Phillips1,2, Alaina Hunt3, Mikaela Salvesen-Quinn4, Jorge Guerra5, Marilyn M Schapira6,7, L Charles Bailey1,2,8, Raina M Merchant9,10. 1. Division of Oncology and Center for Applied Clinical Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 3. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 4. University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 5. Enterprise Analytics and Reporting, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 6. Department of Internal Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 7. Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 8. Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 9. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 10. Penn Medicine Center for Digital Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the specific information parents of children with cancer search for online. Understanding the content of parents' searches over time could offer insight into what matters most to parents and identify knowledge gaps that could inform more comprehensive approaches to family education and support. METHODS: We describe parents' health-related Google searches starting six months before cancer diagnosis and extending through the date of study enrollment, which was at least one month after initiating cancer treatment. Searches were obtained retrospectively and grouped into health-related and non-health-related categories. The median time to parent enrollment from date of cancer diagnosis was 264 days. RESULTS: Parents searched for health-related topics more frequently than the general population (13% vs 5%). Health-related searches increased in the months preceding the child's cancer diagnosis and most commonly pertained to symptoms and logistics, "directions to hospital." Health-related search volume peaked about a month after cancer diagnosis when general health-related searches were present in addition to cancer-specific searches. Eighteen percent of health-related searches were cancer specific, and of these cancer-specific searches, 54% pertained to support, for example "cancer quote for son." CONCLUSIONS: Google search content offers insight into what matters to parents of cancer patients. Understanding search content could inform more comprehensive approaches to family education and support initiatives.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the specific information parents of children with cancer search for online. Understanding the content of parents' searches over time could offer insight into what matters most to parents and identify knowledge gaps that could inform more comprehensive approaches to family education and support. METHODS: We describe parents' health-related Google searches starting six months before cancer diagnosis and extending through the date of study enrollment, which was at least one month after initiating cancer treatment. Searches were obtained retrospectively and grouped into health-related and non-health-related categories. The median time to parent enrollment from date of cancer diagnosis was 264 days. RESULTS: Parents searched for health-related topics more frequently than the general population (13% vs 5%). Health-related searches increased in the months preceding the child's cancer diagnosis and most commonly pertained to symptoms and logistics, "directions to hospital." Health-related search volume peaked about a month after cancer diagnosis when general health-related searches were present in addition to cancer-specific searches. Eighteen percent of health-related searches were cancer specific, and of these cancer-specific searches, 54% pertained to support, for example "cancer quote for son." CONCLUSIONS: Google search content offers insight into what matters to parents of cancerpatients. Understanding search content could inform more comprehensive approaches to family education and support initiatives.
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