Use of the Internet for Cancer Support: This set of studies by Dr. Blank and both graduate and undergraduate students of his looked at how prostate cancer and breast cancer Internet-based “support groups” are used. Breast cancer and prostate cancer online groups were compared. To some degree comparisons indicate gender lines of communication, with more family members than just survivor himself in prostate cancer and more focus on more technical aspects and less on emotional in the prostate cancer groups. This has resulted in several presentations and two publications. Given that most persons now turn to Internet sources as soon as they have been diagnosed, it is critically important to have a better understanding of what they find when they go there and how they can use it to make decisions and to gain emotional support.

Related Publications

Blank, T.O., Schmidt, S. D., Vangsness, S. A., Monteiro, A. K., & Santagata, P.V. (2010).Differences among breast and prostate cancer online support groups. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 1400-1404.

Blank, T. O., & Adams-Blodnieks, M. (2007). The who and what of usage of two cancer online mailing lists. Computers in Human Behavior, 23, 1249-1257.