"You Are By No Means Alone": A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults

Michael T. Lawless; Sarah C. Hunter; Maria Alejandra  Pinero de Plaza; Mandy M. Archibald; Alison Kitson

doi:10.1177/10497323221124979

"You Are By No Means Alone": A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults

Michael T. Lawless, Sarah C. Hunter, Maria Alejandra Pinero de Plaza, Mandy M. Archibald, Alison Kitson

College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1935-1951
Number of pages	17
Journal	Qualitative Health Research
Volume	32
Issue number	13
Early online date	3 Sept 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221124979
Publication status	Published - Nov 2022

Keywords

aged
chronic illness and disease
self-care
self-management
peer support
social media
online communities
netnography
grounded theory
online community

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title = "{"}You Are By No Means Alone{"}: A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults",

abstract = "Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care.",

keywords = "aged, chronic illness and disease, self-care, self-management, peer support, social media, online communities, netnography, grounded theory, online community",

author = "Lawless, {Michael T.} and Hunter, {Sarah C.} and {Pinero de Plaza}, {Maria Alejandra} and Archibald, {Mandy M.} and Alison Kitson",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1177/10497323221124979",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "1935--1951",

journal = "Qualitative Health Research",

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AU - Archibald, Mandy M.

AU - Kitson, Alison

PY - 2022/11

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N2 - Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care.

AB - Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care.

KW - aged

KW - chronic illness and disease

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KW - peer support

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"You Are By No Means Alone": A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults

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"You Are By No Means Alone": A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults

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