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International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction

UAHCI 2014: Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Aging and Assistive Environments pp 403–414Cite as

Age and Age-Related Differences in Internet Usage of Cancer Patients

  • Conference paper

Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNISA,volume 8515)

Abstract

This study investigates age and age-related differences in Internet usage of 952 cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Older patients (> 65 years) reported significantly less Internet usage to find treatment-related information than younger ones (< 65 years). Still, 40.1% of the older patients used the internet regularly or often, as compared to 52.3% of the younger patients. About one quarter (26.4%) of the older patients and 14.6% of the younger patients didn’t use the Internet at all during their chemotherapy treatment. In the younger age group, men, patients with a palliative treatment goal, a more monitoring coping style, more information preferences and higher fulfilled information and communication needs reported more Internet usage than their counterparts. In the older age group, only a monitoring coping style, being male and a higher education level predicted Internet usage. The results of this study provide guidance to improve Internet usage of older patients.

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Internet
  • Information Seeking
  • Cancer
  • Chemotherapy

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Amsterdam School of Communication Research/ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Julia C. M. van Weert & Sifra Bolle

  2. Department of Social and Organisational Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Linda D. Muusses

Authors
  1. Julia C. M. van Weert
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  2. Sifra Bolle
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  3. Linda D. Muusses
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH)Institute of Computer Science, N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Constantine Stephanidis & Margherita Antona & 

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van Weert, J.C.M., Bolle, S., Muusses, L.D. (2014). Age and Age-Related Differences in Internet Usage of Cancer Patients. In: Stephanidis, C., Antona, M. (eds) Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Aging and Assistive Environments. UAHCI 2014. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 8515. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07446-7_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07446-7_40

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