Skip to main content
Log in

Using Webinars for the Education of Health Professionals and People Affected by Cancer: Processes and Evaluation

  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Technology provides an opportunity to engage with a variety of audiences to provide cancer education, information and support. Webinars are one such format that allow live presentations by experts that can be accessed online, from people’s homes or other convenient locations. In 2015, Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) undertook a program of work to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a suite of webinars: four designed for people affected by cancer and two for health professionals. Webinars included a series of expert presentations, a panel discussion and an interactive component where participants posed questions to the panel. Evaluation included analysis of online metrics and a post-event survey covering experience and satisfaction with the webinar, self-reported changes in knowledge of key webinar concepts and confidence to discuss concepts with health professionals or patients. A total of 438 people participated in the webinars (41.5% of 1056 registrations), and 207 post-event surveys were completed by participants (47.3%). Overall, 90.1% indicated that webinar content was relevant to their interests and needs. Self-ratings of knowledge, awareness of resources and confidence to discuss webinar topics increased after the webinar. The majority (63.9%) had not participated in a webinar before, and 92.6% were interested in participating in future webinars. Over half of respondents (52.8%) had not accessed CCV resources before. This work provided a new opportunity to consolidate consistency of delivery and evaluation of webinars, demonstrating they are an effective, acceptable, accessible and sustainable vehicle for delivering information and support to health professionals and people affected by cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Clinical Oncology Society of Australia. 2014. Terms of reference: COSA Teleoncology Guidelines Working Group. https://www.cosa.org.au/media/216461/COSA-Teleoncology-Guidelines-Working-Group-TOR_271114.pdf. Accessed 24 June 2016

  2. Lawson D, Davoren S, Ugalde A, Boltong A, Brockington S (2015) Webinars as a tool for engaging cancer patients and carers in advance care planning. BMJ Supportive Palliative Care 5(Suppl 2):A70

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arbuckle C, Badcock K, Ryan S, Hills J, Boltong A (2014) How do you solve a problem like Angelina? World Cancer Congress, 3-6 December, Melbourne, Australia (oral abstract presentation)

  4. Cueva M, Thomas MK (2015) Reflecting on the importance of webinars in cancer education. J Cancer Educ. doi:10.1007/s13187-015-0919-8

    Google Scholar 

  5. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2014 Remoteness structure. http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/home/remoteness+structure. Accessed 24 June 2016

  6. Beesley VL, Janda M, Eakin EG, Auster JF, Chambers SK, Aitken JF, Dunn J, Diana B (2010) Gynecological cancer survivors and community support services: referral, awareness, utilization and satisfaction. Psycho-Oncology 19:54–61

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Eakin EG, Strycker LA (2001) Awareness and barriers to use of cancer support and information resources by HMO patients with breast, prostate, or colon cancer: patient and provider perspective. Psycho-Oncology 10:103–113

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Megan Chiswell.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 18 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chiswell, M., Smissen, A., Ugalde, A. et al. Using Webinars for the Education of Health Professionals and People Affected by Cancer: Processes and Evaluation. J Canc Educ 33, 583–591 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1138-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1138-7

Keywords

Navigation