Age and age-related differences in internet usage of cancer patients

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.