A review of web-based nutrition information in Spanish for cancer patients and survivors

Abstract

Nutrition education resources are of interest for cancer patients and survivors throughout the cancer continuum. We examined the web-based nutrition information in Spanish for cancer patients and survivors provided by national cancer organizations (NCOs). The Guide to Internet Resources for Cancer and the membership list of the Union for International Cancer Control were searched to identify the NCOs. The International Patients Decisions Aid Standards (IPDAS) was used to describe the quality of the available information. We identified 20 NCOs that provided nutrition information aimed at a general audience on their websites. Web-based resources of nine NCOs were selected for presentation in this review. Website scores ranged between 20 and 24 in the IPDAS scale (maximum score = 31). The selected NCOs offered reliable and safe information. Healthy eating information for cancer patients and management of side-effects was provided by all websites. Information was more limited for cancer survivors. We recommend that NCOs increase the possibilities for personalized recommendations and interaction with the content by including instrumental tools on their websites.