Access to Online Information by Adult Saudi Cancer Patients

The proportion of Saudi cancer patients who utilize online information resources is unknown; therefore, this project was designed to characterize Internet utilization by this group. Saudi cancer patients who met defined eligibility criteria responded to a questionnaire to examine Internet utilization, barriers to access, and information needs. Of the 150 patients included, only 19 (13%) used the Internet to receive online information. From patients' perspectives, inability to use a computer (57%), limited English language proficiency (55%), and not knowing about online resources (44%) were the most frequent barriers. A multivariate analysis showed that owning a personal computer was the only variable that distinguished Internet users from nonusers. This study provides the only available data concerning access to Internet information by cancer patients in Saudi Arabia. The study showed that the access rate is unacceptably low due to several barriers. Prompted by the study results, pragmatic recommendations are provided.