ABSTRACT
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine how the eHealth literacy of partners of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer affects their involvement in decision making, and to identify the factors that influence their eHealth literacy.â©. DESIGN: Cross-sectional exploratory study.â©. SETTING: North Carolina.â©. SAMPLE: 142 partners of men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer. â©. METHODS: A telephone survey and descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses were used.â©. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: The partners' eHealth literacy, involvement in treatment decision making, and demographics, and the health statuses of the patients and their partners. â©. FINDINGS: Higher levels of eHealth literacy among partners were significantly associated with their involvement in getting a second opinion, their awareness of treatment options, and the size of the social network they relied on for additional information and support for treatment decision making for prostate cancer. The factor influencing eHealth literacy was the partners' access to the Internet for personal use, which explained some of the variance in eHealth literacy.â©. CONCLUSIONS: This study described how partners' eHealth literacy influenced their involvement in treatment decision making for prostate cancer and highlighted the influencing factors (i.e., partners' access to the Internet for personal use).â©. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: When helping men with prostate cancer and their partners with treatment decision making, nurses need to assess eHealth literacy levels to determine whether nonelectronically based education materials are needed and to provide clear instructions on how to use eHealth resources.
Subject(s)
Caregivers/psychology , Health Literacy/statistics & numerical data , Internet , Prostatic Neoplasms/therapy , Sexual Partners/psychology , Telemedicine/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Decision Making , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , North CarolinaABSTRACT
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine partner involvement in treatment decision making for localized prostate cancer, congruence between partner involvement and patient preference, reasons for partner noninvolvement, and partner satisfaction with patient treatmentâ©. DESIGN: Cross-sectional exploratory study. SETTING: 100 counties in North Carolina. SAMPLE: 281 partners of men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer. METHODS: Participants completed a phone survey. Logistic regression analyses were used. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Partners' involvement in treatment decision making, partner satisfaction with treatment, activities of partner involvement, and reasons for noninvolvement. FINDINGS: Of the 228 partners (81%) related to decision making, 205 (73%) were very satisfied with the treatment the patients received, and partner involvement was congruent with patient preference in 242 partners (86%). Partners reported several reasons for noninvolvement. CONCLUSIONS: Most partners engaged in multiple activities during treatment decision making for localized prostate cancer and were satisfied with the patient's treatment. Partner involvement was mostly congruent with patient preference. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Partners' active involvement in treatment decision making for localized prostate cancer (e.g., being involved in patients' conversations with doctors) should be encouraged and facilitated for those who prefer this type of decision making. â©.
