Abstract: This article describes how online information can be optimally presented to older cancer patients. Specifically, it describes how illustrations and videos influence website satisfaction and recall of online cancer information, the underlying processes explaining those relationships (i.e. attention and narrative engagement), and the role of age and age-related factors. By combining theories from communication science, cognitive aging, and educational psychology, this article overviews seven studies using experiments as well as survey and eye-tracking methodology in which 973 healthy adults and 540 (ex-)cancer patients participated. The studies presented in this article provide new insights into how to present online cancer materials in such a way that older patients can effectively process online cancer information. The article shows conditions under which illustrations and videos can be effectively used in online communication with older cancer patients, and describes the implications of the findings for communication theory and practice.
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