Abstract
People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) search for health information online in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC), where individuals with diabetes, researchers and caregivers post and respond to health questions. The aims of this study were 1) to understand how people with T1D are seeking health information and engaging in health behaviors in the DOC, and 2) develop a measure of online health information seeking in adults with T1D. Ninety-five adults with T1D completed qualitative prompts online. Themes that emerged in this study included sense of community, and multiple types of social support that are necessary in disease management. This study used qualitative methods to develop a valid scale tailored for adults with T1D. Future research should seek to collect additional data to bolster validity and reliability.
Highlights
Seeking health information and engagement in online health communities are significant and emerging public health phenomena
The second theme was social interaction and support (n = 30), defined as Diabetes Online Community (DOC) members engaging with other members and receiving social support during these interactions
The third theme was informational support (n = 29), participants reported exchanging advice, and receiving and sharing suggestions related to diabetes management and overall information
Summary
Seeking health information and engagement in online health communities are significant and emerging public health phenomena. Health information is being exchanged continuously in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC; 1). The online community thrives on social media sites and provides largely anecdotal evidence (microblogging via tweets, Facebook posts, blog posts and discussion boards) regarding medical decision-making [2]. Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition that requires checking blood glucose levels multiple times a day, multiple insulin injections daily, and/or use of durable medical equipment that provides the person with diabetes with insulin [3]. People with T1D, who are members of the DOC, can encounter health information (considered one directional), and participate in health engagement (bidirectional information exchanges) [5]
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