Computer-mediated patient education: opportunities and challenges for supporting women with ovarian cancer

Nurs Clin North Am. 2009 Sep;44(3):339-54. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2009.06.008.

Abstract

A majority of women with ovarian cancer will face recurrent disease despite receiving aggressive chemotherapy at the time of diagnosis. Given the complex medical and psychosocial needs of women with ovarian cancer and the time constraints within busy clinical settings, providing women with the necessary education related to their disease and treatments can be challenging. The advent of computers and web-based technologies has created new opportunities for educating cancer patients and supporting them to better cope with their disease. This article reviews prior studies of computer-based patient education interventions to identify key intervention components and other factors associated with improved patient outcomes. Opportunities for using computer-based technologies to support women with ovarian cancer are discussed and WRITE Symptoms (a Written Representational Intervention To Ease Symptoms), a web-based, symptom management intervention for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, is introduced.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Computer-Assisted Instruction / methods*
  • Depression / prevention & control
  • Diabetes Mellitus / prevention & control
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Female
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Humans
  • Internet / organization & administration*
  • Nursing Education Research
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / prevention & control
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / psychology
  • Patient Education as Topic / methods*
  • Peer Group
  • Program Development
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Research Design
  • Self Care
  • Social Support*