Table 2.

Synthesized results of the moderating variables.

Categories, concepts, and dimension			Effect on information needs	References
Attitudes
	Cognition
		Correct cognition	Facilitated development of information needs	[9,26,28]
		Misunderstanding	Inhibited development of information needs	[33,36]
	Affect
		Shocked and worried	Facilitated development of information needs	[28,57]
		Not worried	Inhibited development of information needs	[28]
	Behavior
		Ready	Facilitated development of information needs	[8,35,46,48]
		Not ready	Inhibited development of information needs	[25]
Health literacy
	Health knowledge
		Rich in health knowledge	Facilitated development of information needs	[33,40]
		Lacking health knowledge	Inhibited development of information needs	[33]
	Health style
		Positive coping strategies	Facilitated development of information needs	[33]
		Negative coping strategies	Inhibited development of information needs	[34]
	Health beliefs
		No fatalism	Facilitated development of information needs	[9,26,34]
		Fatalism	Inhibited development of information needs	[28,33]
Demographic characteristics
	Age
		Younger	Paid more attention to information on new treatments, research advances, and effects of treatment on fertility and career, complementary therapies, dietary changes and exercise, possible carcinogens, and environmental factors	[8,25,44]
		Older	Expressed less need for reconstructive surgery	[28,40,42]
	Education level
		Higher	Paid more attention to information on medical terminology and medical information systems	[40]
		Lower	Inhibited the development of information needs	[40]
	Economic status
		Higher	Paid more attention to information on natural health products and healthy dietary changes	[57,64]
		Lower	Expressed less need for healthy diet information and reconstructive surgery	[42]
Disease status
	Comorbidity
		With comorbidity	Paid more attention to information on secondary prevention; obese patients needed survival guidelines targeting their physical condition	[41,42]
	Clinical stage
		Advanced breast cancer	Paid more attention to the experience of other advanced breast patients; information or support related to last will and testament and final arrangements	[60]
Political and cultural environment
	Cultural background
		Chinese	Paid more attention to diet and exercise guidelines, less information on postoperative body changes	[33,38,49]
		Turkish	Paid more attention to postoperative body changes and contraceptive information	[35]
		Japanese	Paid more attention to information on postoperative body changes	[32]
	Health care policy
		Policy changes	Paid more attention to information on changes in health care policy and practice (eg, frequency of routine examination)	[30]
Family factors
	Age of children
		Younger	Paid more attention to age-appropriate information on how to guide communication with children about the disease	[9]