The Role of an online health forum for Women with Breast Cancer Treated by Chemotherapy

Abstract

Breast cancer, which affects more women than men, is among the global death-leading chronic conditions that have triggered the need for online health forums as interventions to help meet various healthcare goals. Women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy have diverse needs, some of which can be met through these forums. Therefore, this dissertation is a systematic review that evaluates evidence from different journal publications to investigate the role of an online health forum for women with breast cancer treated by chemotherapy. The PICO framework was the preferred method for developing the study’s research question, while the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was the selected methodology for presenting results for this systematic review. This study is important because the findings will inform the relevance and usage of online health forums, informational needs, and the perceptions and information-seeking behaviours of women with breast cancer treated by chemotherapy.