Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo
Abstract Background For more than 20 years, and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for people to discuss health issues. This study investigates the motivations of participants to post a message on a French online health forum (called '...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01906-5 |
| _version_ | 1797985515078680576 |
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| author | C. Blanc-Bisson A.-L. Benazeth V. Montané C. Adam P. Dzeraviashka Y.-M. Vincent |
| author_facet | C. Blanc-Bisson A.-L. Benazeth V. Montané C. Adam P. Dzeraviashka Y.-M. Vincent |
| author_sort | C. Blanc-Bisson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background For more than 20 years, and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for people to discuss health issues. This study investigates the motivations of participants to post a message on a French online health forum (called 'Doctissimo') (Forum Santé - Doctissimo, 2022). Method Between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, all the first messages recorded on the health forum doctissimo ( www.forum.doctissimo.fr ) were selected in their initial format by a crawler. The transcripts were imported into the qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Two researchers coded the data until a theoretical saturation was obtained. Results We identified four categories of motivation: 1) 'Questioning' allows the exchange of mainly medical information, or sharing of feedback on experiences with the disease: 1722 codes, 44.8%, 2) Worry, need for reassurance: 1066 codes, 27.7% about symptoms or anticipatory anxiety, 3) 'Expressing oneself' mainly allows a catharsis and thus an emotional release, especially negative, but also to share a personal experience: 764 codes 19.9%, 4) Community spirit is a central element to create an emotional support group for psychological support, exchange ideas, meet people in similar situations: 291 codes, 7.6%. The relationship with a health professional when mentioned is generally marked by doubts 39.5%, confusion, or lack of information and the need for additional elements 64.6% or reassurance 60%. The relationship and the obstacles to a medical consultation are described in relation to the use of the forum: immediate availability, anonymity, absence of taboo and community spirit. Conclusion The use of information sources offered by the Internet is a way to ask questions, to be reassured, to express oneself or to be confirmed by the community in the hypothesis emitted by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate answer, they come to the community for reassurance, they feel free and legitimate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:19:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ecf2ae1a67a0480783b11fed7932decd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:19:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-ecf2ae1a67a0480783b11fed7932decd2022-12-22T04:37:49ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532022-11-012311910.1186/s12875-022-01906-5Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum DoctissimoC. Blanc-Bisson0A.-L. Benazeth1V. Montané2C. Adam3P. Dzeraviashka4Y.-M. Vincent5Département de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéDépartement de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéDépartement de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéDépartement de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéDépartement de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéDépartement de Médecine Générale, Université de Bordeaux, Collège Sciences de La SantéAbstract Background For more than 20 years, and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for people to discuss health issues. This study investigates the motivations of participants to post a message on a French online health forum (called 'Doctissimo') (Forum Santé - Doctissimo, 2022). Method Between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, all the first messages recorded on the health forum doctissimo ( www.forum.doctissimo.fr ) were selected in their initial format by a crawler. The transcripts were imported into the qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Two researchers coded the data until a theoretical saturation was obtained. Results We identified four categories of motivation: 1) 'Questioning' allows the exchange of mainly medical information, or sharing of feedback on experiences with the disease: 1722 codes, 44.8%, 2) Worry, need for reassurance: 1066 codes, 27.7% about symptoms or anticipatory anxiety, 3) 'Expressing oneself' mainly allows a catharsis and thus an emotional release, especially negative, but also to share a personal experience: 764 codes 19.9%, 4) Community spirit is a central element to create an emotional support group for psychological support, exchange ideas, meet people in similar situations: 291 codes, 7.6%. The relationship with a health professional when mentioned is generally marked by doubts 39.5%, confusion, or lack of information and the need for additional elements 64.6% or reassurance 60%. The relationship and the obstacles to a medical consultation are described in relation to the use of the forum: immediate availability, anonymity, absence of taboo and community spirit. Conclusion The use of information sources offered by the Internet is a way to ask questions, to be reassured, to express oneself or to be confirmed by the community in the hypothesis emitted by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate answer, they come to the community for reassurance, they feel free and legitimate.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01906-5Online health forumsPatient motivations |
| spellingShingle | C. Blanc-Bisson A.-L. Benazeth V. Montané C. Adam P. Dzeraviashka Y.-M. Vincent Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo BMC Primary Care Online health forums Patient motivations |
| title | Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo |
| title_full | Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo |
| title_fullStr | Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo |
| title_short | Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo |
| title_sort | motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in french health forum doctissimo |
| topic | Online health forums Patient motivations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01906-5 |
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