BACKGROUND: Relative to country-specific epidemiological trends, Kuwait experiences a far greater burden of type 2 diabetes among its population. Information behaviours form a significant component of self-care management for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, however this remains an understudied aspect of disease management. This study aims to investigate the information behaviours of patients with type 2 diabetes in Kuwait, and characterise the methods employed to manage their disease.
METHODS: This qualitative study employed a grounded theory method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-seven participants over three phases of data collection in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare settings across Kuwait. These were complemented by in-depth interviews to detail the information behaviours of these participants. The interviews were translated where appropriate, transcripts, and analysed through qualitative coding to synthesise the information behaviour patterns.
RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that living with type 2 diabetes involved a range of developmental and transformative stages, including changes to the patients\' emotional state, reconstruction of their lifestyle and identity, and changes in the ways they find and use information. Living with the chronic condition was viewed as a dynamic and transitional process, where patients\' information behaviours continually changed throughout the process across various identifiable stages. This dynamic pattern was reflected most prominently across the participants\' behavioural needs, sources and information-seeking patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with type 2 diabetes continuously adapted their information behaviours to optimise the self-management of their condition across a relatively predictable pattern. Greater understanding of these behaviours across a wider population would improve the provision of clinical care for patients with diabetes.

UNASSIGNED: The study aims to investigate the information needs and preferences of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing chemotherapy using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to optimize and improve the information support strategy for these patients.
UNASSIGNED: Between May and July 2023, 165 patients with CRC who were receiving chemotherapy at a single hospital in China completed the questionnaire. The survey instruments included a general information questionnaire, a DCE questionnaire, and the Brief Health Literacy Screening Scale. A conditional logit model was used with Stata 16.0 software to analyze patients\' preferences.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 159 valid questionnaires were collected, and the questionnaire response rate was 96.4%. All 7 included attributes had an impact on patients\' information needs preference (P < 0.05). Among them, information providers, knowledge content, and social support had high relative importance, which were 12.16%, 7.57% and 2.25%, respectively. Patients showed a preference for attending doctors (β = 1.9439, P < 0.05) and primary nurses (β = 1.7985, P < 0.05). Providing knowledge related to disease basis, treatment, and health promotion also had a significant impact (β = 1.6224, P < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: Healthcare professionals should be the primary information source for patients and improve the accessibility of information by establishing professional information platforms or identifying reliable channels. It is recommended to provide continuous information on treatment and health promotion to CRC patients at various stages of chemotherapy. Attention should be paid to identifying and providing measures to alleviate the economic and psychological burden and to meet the social support needs of patients.

UNASSIGNED: We aimed to synthesize the information needs of people with stroke (PwS) in recurrent stroke prevention.
UNASSIGNED: In this scoping review we searched Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to June 5, 2023, to identify all studies describing the information needs of people 18 years and older who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack within the past 5 years. We included qualitative and quantitative studies from developed countries published in German or English. Data analysis was performed following Arksey and O\'Malley\'s methodological framework for scoping reviews.
UNASSIGNED: We screened 5822 records for eligibility and included 36 articles published between 1993 and 2023. None of the included studies used a comprehensive framework or defined information needs. Based on statements from PwS and their caregivers, PwS needed information on treatment, etiology, effects of stroke, prognosis, rehabilitation, discharge, life changes, care role, support options, information sources, and hospital procedures. The most frequently expressed needs were information on the treatment (77.8%) and stroke etiology (63.9%). The primary information source was healthcare professionals (85.7%), followed by written information (71.4%), family and friends (42.6%), and the internet (35.7%), with information provided directly by healthcare professionals being preferred. The timing of information transfer is often described as too early.
UNASSIGNED: PwS are primarily interested in clinical information about stroke, for example, treatment and etiology, and less often in information about daily life, for example, rehabilitation, the role of care, or lifestyle changes. PwS prefer to receive information directly from healthcare professionals. Developing a shared understanding of PwS\'s information needs is crucial to implement suitable strategies and programs for dealing with these needs in clinical practice.

This focus group study explored the needs, preferences and beliefs of adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis regarding their self-management practices, and related information use and needs. Four focus groups were held, two online and two on location. The 20 participants (11 women); Mage = 39.0 years (range: 21-56 years) were reluctant to identify themselves as patients, trivializing their complaints while avoiding being confronted too much with their condition. Participants often expressed low trust in the effectiveness of medication and the ability of healthcare to alleviate their complaints. This resulted in relatively low openness to information such as personalized pollen predictions. Findings were synthesized under three interrelated themes: \'Being ill, but not a patient: it\'s bad, but you learn to live with it\', \'Individual search for what does or doesn\'t work\' and \'Information needs and sources\'. Implications for communication supportive of self-management practices for seasonal allergic rhinitis are discussed.

Myeloma is the third most common blood cancer and one of the most complex and expensive cancers to treat. Black Americans face health disparities related to myeloma incidence, age at diagnosis, access to novel treatments, and mortality. To help reduce health disparities among Black Americans through education and outreach, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has implemented its Myeloma Link initiative. In 2022, a formative, qualitative evaluation was conducted across the 15 U.S. cities that implemented Myeloma Link to better understand the information and communication needs and preferences of three groups: patients, community members, and primary care providers (PCPs). Data collection included interviews with eight patients, two focus groups with a total of ten community members, and interviews with six PCPs. Patients expressed wanting information about treatment experiences, including clinical trials, and emotional and peer support services, particularly from other Black American patients. Community members were largely unfamiliar with myeloma and desired outreach via trusted community organizations about disease signs and symptoms. Both groups discussed the importance of self-advocacy within the current healthcare system and wanted actionable messaging, rather than messaging leading with disparities statistics. PCPs described systemic capacity and time challenges in the context of needing to address more frequently encountered health conditions; nonetheless, PCPs welcomed information and brief trainings about myeloma diagnosis and treatment options, referrals to specialists, and how to improve care, prognosis, and caregiver support. Findings underscore the importance of outreach initiatives such as Myeloma Link to help meet these needs and reduce health disparities.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal cancer patients\' information needs remain understudied, despite their complex treatment trajectories.
METHODS: This study examined the (i) information needs of patients with or without postoperative complications, (ii) information needs of male and female patients, and (iii) the association between information needs and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Patients completed the EORTC-QLQ-INFO25, QLQ-C30, and QLQ-OG25 questionnaires before and after curative surgery. Five information needs domains were investigated: information about the disease, about treatments, about medical tests, about things patients can do to help themselves, and overall helpfulness. Additionally, HR-QoL domains global health status, eating restrictions, and anxiety were explored.
RESULTS: A total of 132 patients completed the questionnaires at baseline, 216 patients at 6-12 months, 184 patients at 18-24 months, and 163 patients at 3-5 years post-operation. There were no significant differences in information needs between patients with or without complications or between male and female patients. Patients with a higher global health status found the information more helpful at 6-12 months (p < 0.001), 18-24 months (p < 0.001), and 3-5 years (p < 0.001) postoperatively, as did patients who experienced more anxiety at 18-24 months (p = 0.009) and 3-5 years (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Gastroesophageal cancer patients, regardless of sex or postoperative complications, have consistent information needs, yet those with higher global health status and elevated anxiety levels find the information particularly helpful, emphasizing the importance of tailored communication strategies.

UNASSIGNED: To identify parents\' information needs about impending very preterm birth and compare these needs to current information practices in the Netherlands.
UNASSIGNED: Step 1: We surveyed N = 203 parents of preterm infants to assess their information needs. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Step 2a: We collected information resources from hospitals (N = 9 NICUs) and via an online search. These materials were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Step 2b: We compared findings from Steps 1-2a.
UNASSIGNED: We identified four themes pertaining to parents\' information needs: (1) participation in care, (2) emotional wellbeing, (3) experience/success stories, and (4) practical information about prematurity. Clinicians\' communicative skills and time were considered prerequisites for optimal information-provision. Notably, hospital resources provided mainly medical information about prematurity with some emphasis on participation in care, while parent associations mainly focused on emotional wellbeing and experience/success stories.
UNASSIGNED: While parents demonstrate clear information needs about impending very preterm birth, current information resources satisfy these partially.
UNASSIGNED: Our multidisciplinary research team included both scholars and veteran NICU parents. As such, we identified parents\' information needs bottom-up. These parent-driven insights will be used to design an innovative, tailored information platform for parents about impending very preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: In the cultural milieu of China, family caregivers assume a pivotal role in the post-adolescent suicide attempt recovery journey. Nevertheless, they frequently encounter a dearth of requisite knowledge and information pertaining to the appropriate caregiving protocols for these adolescents. Notwithstanding, scholarly investigation into the informational requisites of this demographic concerning caregiving remains significantly constrained.
METHODS: Between September and December 2023, a phenomenological approach was applied in qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 family caregivers of adolescents who had experienced suicide attempts. The amassed data underwent systematic organization and analysis through the utilization of the Colaizzi method.
RESULTS: Four primary themes were identified: (1) negative emotional encounters; (2) requirements for addressing dilemmas; (3) addressing the needs of the unknown; and (4) insufficient access to support.
CONCLUSIONS: Family caregivers experience complex negative emotions upon learning about a teenager\'s suicide attempt. Throughout the caregiving process, they face numerous challenges, with apparent lack of external support, leading to an increased urgent need for caregiving information. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should actively identify and respond to the informational needs of family caregivers when caring for adolescents who have attempted suicide. This includes providing education on various coping mechanisms and support strategies, as well as assisting them in better understanding how to effectively manage the stress and challenges of caregiving. By doing so, healthcare professionals can help alleviate the psychological and emotional burden on family caregivers, thereby enhancing their caregiving abilities and overall well-being.

OBJECTIVE: To understand preoperative experiences and information needs of Chinese school-aged children undergoing elective surgery to design standardized preoperative education programs to alleviate preoperative anxiety.
METHODS: Semi-structured interviews combined with drawing, writing, and telling techniques were conducted in 12 children. The paintings were interpreted alongside children\'s verbal expressions. All data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Three themes emerged: Origins of Surgical Knowledge: Proximity-based knowledge, media exposure, past personal medical experiences, ward-mate interactions, healthcare staff education; Pre-Surgery Experiences: Anticipation of pain, post-op sensations and impact on life, fantasizing about the operation, being aware of risks, demonstrating psychological resilience, being curious about anesthesia experience, enjoying a break; Preoperative Informational Needs: 55 identified.
CONCLUSIONS: Lack of standardized preoperative education creates a gap between children\'s knowledge and actual surgical experiences. Developing preoperative education tailored to individualized informational needs and developmental level helps fill their gaps, alleviate preoperative anxiety and improve health outcomes.

The communication of e-Health has been transformed with the advancement of information technologies, therefore it is feasible to carry out studies in the context of health professionals\' interactions. Objective: This study aimed to design and validate a preliminary questionnaire to investigate the context of the communications of health professionals through information technologies considering three significant dimensions. Method: The stages provided by Hernández Sampieri guided the building, validation through Cronbach\'s alpha and factorial analysis. The questionnaire was applied to 43 participants who simulated health professionals. Results: We obtained an instrument that includes a demographic data section and 20 items distributed into three factors. Internal consistency reliability with Cronbach\'s alpha values generally of 0.848 and higher than 0.811 was obtained in each dimension. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin\'s measure of sampling adequacy was regular, with 0.781, and Bartlett\'s test of sphericity was significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to apply in real-world environments to reaffirm the results obtained.