283 e-messages sent from 38 breast and 22 prostate cancer patients and 286 e-responses from five oncology nurses were coded with the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences.
We identified 102 cues and 33 concerns expressed in patients鈥?messages. Cues indicating expression of uncertainty or hope, occurred most frequently (in 38.5%of messages), followed by concerns (in 24.4%of messages). Nurses responded to 85.2%of patients鈥?C&Cs; more than half of patients鈥?C&Cs were met with a mixture of information giving and empathic responses.
Patients with breast and prostate cancer express many C&C in e-mail communications with oncology nurses, who demonstrated satisfactory sensitivity to patients鈥?emotions in their responses to patients.
Offering e-communication with oncology nurses to cancer patients is a promising and feasible supplement to usual care to address and relieve patients鈥?concerns and emotional distress during illness and recovery.