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Perspectives Of People With Cancer Or Hereditary Cancer Risk On The Use And Value Of Online Peer Support, Jill Holdren, Karl Surkan, Andrea Downing
Perspectives Of People With Cancer Or Hereditary Cancer Risk On The Use And Value Of Online Peer Support, Jill Holdren, Karl Surkan, Andrea Downing
Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews
Purpose: People with cancer routinely seek information and support in peer groups online. While peer communities constitute a major component of the health care landscape, they exist in isolation from clinical and research institutions. This study aimed to explore how and why cancer patients utilize online peer support groups and how they might be improved.
Methods: A convenience sample of members of 6 closed Facebook cancer peer support groups (n = 291) participated in an online needs assessment survey. We further conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 members and 6 moderator-patients, hand-coding the free-text responses and interview transcripts.
Results: Group …