Abstract
Online support groups (OSGs) have emerged to provide a venue for patients to communicate about specific conditions, medications, and other health-related topics including support. Using the Uses and Gratifications theory, this study investigated the critical factors that influence a patient's decision to use OSGs. The work contributes to existing work by exploring how cognitive needs, tension free needs, and physicians support impact patients' OSGs usage. The relationship between self-management and OSGs usage is examined as well. Based on the analysis of 1927 records, the results show that frustration in information search, tension-free needs, and physician support were positively associated with OSGs usage. Perceived self health management was negatively related to OSGs usage.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | 20th Americas Conference on Information Systems, AMCIS 2014 - Savannah, GA, United States Duration: Aug 7 2014 → Aug 9 2014 |
Other
| Other | 20th Americas Conference on Information Systems, AMCIS 2014 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Savannah, GA |
| Period | 8/7/14 → 8/9/14 |
Keywords
- Online support groups
- Patient-physician communication
- Patients needs
- Uses and gratification theory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Networks and Communications
- Computer Science Applications
- Information Systems
- Library and Information Sciences