ABSTRACT
People receiving a health diagnosis experience a range of emotions, including uncertainty and fear, and may average 1 hour a day or more dealing with illnesses such as diabetes (Braitman et al., in press) or cancer. Most patients are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of health information they receive (Epstein & Street, 2007). They will face challenges in adhering to regimens, deciding on treatment, and may require social support. Researchers need more sophisticated understandings of how people manage information in these situations, especially how they manage the tension surrounding disclosure or sharing the information with others.
