FAQ

Why does this work focus on prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is an extremely common male cancer that receives relatively little attention given its prevalence. When a man is identified as being at risk, is diagnosed with prostate cancer, is involved in making a treatment decision, is treated for his cancer, experiences side effects of treatment, or deals with reoccurrence or advanced cancer, he and his loved ones may seek information or support from a variety of sources, including the Internet.

Because of this range of situations that lead people to seek information or support online, as well as differences in type and amount of information or support desired and a vast array of Websites that are available, we expect that prostate cancer provides an excellent example of how there is no 'One Size Fits All' Website. The purpose of this work is to begin to understand how, in the context of prostate cancer, different Websites might work better for different people in different situations, and how to help people find Websites that are most useful and relevant to them.

How do you choose the Websites included here?

I started with a set of over 500 Websites that were (a) in the top ten sites returned in specific searches in google, (b) recommended in popular books about prostate cancer, or (c) recommended by experts. I developed a taxonomy, and used it to select a set of 40 Websites that represent the diversity of content, presentation and styles currently available on the Web. Each person participating in the study will see a random selection of 20 Websites from the group of 40.

Have the Websites in this study been vetted for accuracy?

No. I am looking at what is currently available to men and their loved ones who are looking for information online. I want to know how these sites are rated by health care providers and men with prostate cancer. I am not filtering for 'good' and 'bad' Websites; part of the purpose of this research is to see how different people feel about a wide variety of Websites, including whether health care professionals and prostate cancer patients and survivors have similar opinions.

What is PORPUS?

PORPUS stands for Patient-Oriented Prostate Utility Scale. Dr. Murray Krahn led a team of researchers who developed this scale to measure Quality of Life in men with prostate cancer, incorporating symptoms that are specific to the disease, its treatments, and treatment side effects.

Search Pubmed for articles about PORPUS

Why do the studies require cookies?

The studies require cookies to make it easier to continue the survey if you accidentally close your Web browser. Cookies are automatically cleared after two hours, and once you reach the end of the survey and click 'Finish', the cookie will be cleared manually.