A Pilot Study Evaluating the Usability and Usefulness of a Multi-language Online Patient Education Tool for Patients Undergoing Radiation Treatment: Findings from a Student Project.

Purpose: Treatment-related information is the most important informational need of cancer patients and online media sources are gaining popularity as a cancer communication method. Our aim was to determine if new multilanguage patient online education modules in radiation therapy are usable and beneficial for the multicultural cancer patient population who may face language barriers.

Methods: Eight new patients from the radiation oncology clinic at the Odette Cancer Centre (OCC) were recruited to participate in the study over a 3-month period. Testing involved a combination of interviewing, observation, think-aloud methodology, and short survey. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis of responses to the interviews and open-ended survey questions, in addition to Likert scale ratings.

Results: Patients were satisfied with the survey (mean = 96/100) and indicated a high usability score citing the general ease of navigation and clear presentation of information. The usefulness mean score was relatively lower; participants wanted more specific information related to their treatment site and anticipated side effects. There was no consensus on the accessibility of the module. Although all participants appreciated the multilanguage capabilities of the modules, they indicated that the number of languages represented in the modules should be increased.

Conclusion: Multilanguage online modules were a good communication tool for patients; however, improvements on the content and language availability were indicated by the study participants.