In 2023, there were more than 1.64 million patients worldwide suffering from hematological malignancies, according to WHO estimates. Patients with hematological diseases may have various unmet needs during long-term treatment and rehabilitation due to the physical, psychological and social maladjustment caused by the disease itself and its treatment. Among them, the need for health-related information is of paramount importance. All knowledge about health or illness, news about health, statistics about health, and details about people's physical and emotional well-being are often referred to as health information. But our understanding is limited.

This is a cross-sectional study, which investigated the health information needs of 409 patients with hematological diseases. We found that these patients have high information needs, especially in self-care, treatment, medical examination and prognosis. It's interesting that patients' desire for self-care information-primarily nutrition-related information-is highest ranked. Patients' health literacy, their communication skills with healthcare providers, their ability to evaluate and apply health information, their anxiety or depression about their physical condition, and whether they have medical background knowledge all have an impact on their health information needs.

The results of this study underline the importance of providing relevant health information to patients with hematological diseases. Understanding patients' information needs can help healthcare professionals to better address their needs, improve their health literacy, promote effective communication between patients and medical teams, and thus improve patient outcomes and overall health.

Keywords: hematological disorders, hematological tumors, information needs, health literacy, quality of life

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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2024
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