Information Seeking
The disparities in cancer outcomes could potentially be explained by the inequalities in the ways in which people seek out health information. The National Cancer Institute fielded the first Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 2003) in 2002-2003 and a second survey in 2005 surveying approximately 6,369 Americans. Most respondents were White (75.9%), age 40 or older (63.0%), and female (60.4%). Highlights of the 2003 HINTS survey results are below:

Seekers: Less than half of the HINTS respondents (45%) reported looking for cancer information while almost one-third of cancer patients reported that they did not seek out any cancer information. This non-seeking group is disproportionately composed of persons of low socioeconomic status and minorities.

Internet: HINTS data show that there are significant differences in access to Internet between upper and lower SES groups and different racial and ethnic groups; however, a substantial majority of lower income and minority individuals find the Internet to be useful, and are interested in it. Even though 63% of the respondents said that they “go online,” only 37% percent of Hispanics said they go online, compared to about 51% of African Americans and almost 70% of non-Hispanic Whites. The relationship between going online and SES (income and education) is monotonic. About 35% of the respondents with an annual Household (HH) income of less than $25,000 reported going online compared to 62% of those with HH income between $25,000-50,000, and 87% of those with an annual HH income of more than $50K. Similarly, just about one-fourth of the respondents with less than high school education reported going online, compared to 51% of high school graduates, 78% of those with some college education and 90% of college graduates. Respondents who do not go online were asked why. While almost 45% of Whites who do not go online say that they are not interested, only 25% of Hispanics and about 35% of African Americans gave that as a reason. Similarly, only 36% of the lowest income group and 37% of the least educated group said that they are not interested. On the other hand, almost 50% of Hispanics and 37% of African Americans, compared to only 28% of Whites, gave cost as the reason for not going online. Similarly, 46% of the least educated and lowest income respondents identified cost as a reason. Almost 55% of the Hispanics, 46% of the non-Hispanic Whites and about 42% of the African Americans said that Internet is too complicated. Almost 60% of the least educated respondents and 50% of those with the lowest incomes reported that it is too complicated to use.

Newspapers: More than 50% of those earning $50,000 and over per year read the newspaper more than four days a week while over 30% of those earning less than $25,000 per year report never reading the newspaper. Additionally, 50% of those who have completed some college report reading the newspaper more than four days a week compared to over 30% of those with a high school or less education report never reading the newspaper.

For additional information, please see the HINTS website and HINTS Brief #1