Online Support Research Articles

Employment brand equity and corporate’s job growth and reputation

PurposeThis research aimed to explore the commonalities and differences in the type of information provided on corporate websites in relation to their employment brand equity.Design/methodology/approachMixed methods of content analysis, ANOVA and regression analyses were employed to answer the research questions. The data were collected from multiple sources, including the websites of a sample of forty companies listed as the US Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work in 2012 and information presented on Fortune’s website as well.FindingsEmployment brand equity hardly showed any significant impact on either company’s job growth or reputation in the ranking as an “employer of choice”.Practical implicationsThe results indicated some practices to make a company’s employment brand outstanding and how its web presence reflected its “brand” and presence for potential employees. They are useful for HR practitioners concerned with building an employee brand. For example, the more highly ranked companies in the Fortune 100 tend to provide more forms of online support related to employment opportunities.Originality/valueUsing brand equity theory from the marketing arena and applying this within the human resources management area, this study suggests that “employment brand equity” became a major factor that many companies and organizations should focus on to enhance their standing with job seekers, particularly talented ones. Nearly a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, the best companies to work for in the US had paid attention to digitalization via websites and social media, to attract talent (and support employees).

Potential Impact of Online Self-Help Groups on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Quality of Life on Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Study, in Saudi Arabia 2023/2024

Abstract Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by symmetrical inflammation of the joints and reduced quality of life (QoL). Limited research exists on how online self-help groups contribute to knowledge acquisition and enhancement. Aims: This study aims to fill this knowledge gap and estimate the impact of these groups on knowledge and QoL in RA patients. Subjects and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in WhatsApp and Telegram online groups in Saudi Arabia from September 1, 2023, to April 2024. The target population is the RA patients participating in online supervised self-help groups. A nonconvenient sampling technique is used to collect the data, and SPSS software is used to analyze the results. Results: 97.9% of participants were female, while only 2.1% of males participated in this research. 43.2% of participants were between the ages of 31 and 45 years. 36.9% of participants suffered from other rheumatoid or immune disease. All participants joined WhatsApp, Telegram, or both to learn about RA. Overall, most of the participants had satisfactory knowledge of RA. Their perceptions of joining the groups regarding RA were also clear and helpful. Conclusions: Findings indicate a notable understanding of RA via WhatsApp/Telegram, with improved QoL, yet revealing room for growth, mainly through targeted public education campaigns across diverse media platforms. Emphasizing inclusive online support networks could enhance RA management and improve the QoL of affected individuals in Saudi Arabia.

Cosmetic medical tourists’ use of online and offline experiential and procedural information resources in decision-making: Implications for digital health literacy and neoliberalism

Background: When deciding to undergo aesthetic health procedures overseas, cosmetic medical tourists access various information resources to make informed decisions about locations, facilities, health providers and procedure(s). Aim: Existing research has investigated the different resources cosmetic tourists access in their decision-making process, however, there has yet to be an in-depth analysis of the significance of each information resource in this process. Methods: Interviews with Australian cosmetic tourists regarding how and why they decided to use specific information resources. Results: We found that cosmetic medical tourists simultaneously and repeatedly used four main information resources in their decision making – websites, existing social networks, online support communities and surgeon consultations. Discussion: We characterise these resources as offering both experiential and procedural information, both generalised (non-specific and available to everyone) and personalised (originating in individual experience or tailored to the individual) information and being located both online (internet-based) and offline (in-person). Successful accomplishment of the cosmetic medical tourist journey relies on engagement with most of these resources, highlighting the role of digital health literacy and the complexity of this decision-making process. Conclusions: This process has implications for understanding the practice of digital health literacy and identifiably positions cosmetic medical tourists as neoliberal individuals.

Health And Performance Promotion in Youth (HAPPY) hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised trial: comparison of two strategies to implement an injury prevention exercise programme in Danish youth handball

ObjectiveTo investigate if a combination of an online and onsite implementation strategy was superior to an online-only strategy in enhancing the use of an injury prevention exercise programme (IPEP) and...

Highs and Lows

In this narrative medicine essay, a transplant hepatology fellow whose gestational diabetes progressed to type 1 diabetes finds robust online support groups that have helped her navigate her new reality.

Leveraging artificial intelligence to identify the psychological factors associated with conspiracy theory beliefs online

Given the profound societal impact of conspiracy theories, probing the psychological factors associated with their spread is paramount. Most research lacks large-scale behavioral outcomes, leaving factors related to actual online support for conspiracy theories uncertain. We bridge this gap by combining the psychological self-reports of 2506 Twitter (currently X) users with machine-learning classification of whether the textual data from their 7.7 million social media engagements throughout the pandemic supported six common COVID-19 conspiracy theories. We assess demographic factors, political alignment, factors derived from theory of reasoned action, and individual psychological differences. Here, we show that being older, self-identifying as very left or right on the political spectrum, and believing in false information constitute the most consistent risk factors; denialist tendencies, confidence in one’s ability to spot misinformation, and political conservativism are positively associated with support for one conspiracy theory. Combining artificial intelligence analyses of big behavioral data with self-report surveys can effectively identify and validate risk factors for phenomena evident in large-scale online behaviors.

Connected and supported: a scoping review of how online communities provide social support for breast cancer survivors.

To (i) assess how and to what extent online communities are used among breast cancer survivors (BCS) as a source of social support, (ii) describe the kind of support BCS access through online communities, and (iii) explore how these communities foster social support for BCS that promotes well-being and reduces the challenges of survivorship. We conducted a scoping review. A professional librarian performed a comprehensive search in multiple databases from January 2010 to May 2023. The review process adhered to the Johana Briggs Institute's method guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR reporting system. Fifteen studies were included. Participants used social media, cancer support communities, message boards, or websites for information and emotional support. Qualitative findings resulted in four themes: to reassure; to empower; to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion; and to demonstrate for BCS the drawbacks of online support. We underscore that a variety of internet websites and social media platforms are valuable for and appreciated by BCS, especially as a source of social support and human connectedness. Our study raises the existing gap in cultural/ethnic representation in this field and shows that institutional and organizational efforts are needed to address gaps in information regarding access to social support for multiethnic BCS women. This data synthesis will empower the BCS community by sharing how they can strengthen and support their peers and community via their participation in online communities that connect and support cancer survivors in healthcare spaces.

Addressing the Gap: A Pilot Study to Improve Graduate Student's Counseling Self-Efficacy Through Online Support Groups for Care Partners of People With Acquired Brain Injuries

Purpose: The purpose of this technical report is to (a) describe the development and pilot testing of a university training initiative for graduate students in speech-language pathology to conduct online support groups for care partners of individuals with acquired brain injuries and (b) share preliminary data on students' self-efficacy in their counseling skills as a result of training. Method: Four graduate students completed an intensive summer counseling training program consisting of two 90-min student orientations to counseling skills and two online support group sessions for care partners of people with acquired brain injuries. A mixed methods analysis of pilot data collected over the summer of 2023 was conducted. Students completed the modified Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales for speech-language pathologists within 1 week of beginning their counseling training and within 1 week after their clinical training experience. Students also submitted a short reflection paper within 24 hr of their two support group sessions to discuss their overall performance within the session and assess their self-efficacy in their counseling skills. Results: Preliminary data evidenced significant pre- to posttraining gains in two primary counseling areas: (a) psychoeducation (i.e., students' ability to provide information to care partners) and (b) empathy when addressing care partners' concerns regarding their loved one's communication disorder. Students' reflection papers illustrated their sense of growth as clinicians and paralleled the findings from their questionnaires. Conclusions: Our preliminary results highlight the importance of providing counseling opportunities for student clinicians in speech-language pathology graduate programs. Our online clinical model offers an example for replicability across universities to foster self-efficacy in students' counseling skills as part of their graduate studies. “Key” ingredients are provided for replication when developing a student-led online support group program for care partners of individuals with acquired brain injuries.

Effects of an Inclusive Childcare Capacity Building Program on In-service Teachers’ Teaching Efficacy and Attitudes towards Inclusion

An inclusive childcare capacity building program was designed to enhance teacher efficacy and attitudes toward the inclusion of childcare teachers. A total of 36 teachers working in childcare facilities in Gyeonggi-do participated in this study. Nineteen teachers were assigned to the treatment condition and 17 teachers were assigned to the control condition. The program explicitly addressed 15 topics, including screening and diagnosis, early development, characteristics of disability, family support and related services, IEP, and online site observation. The program was primarily delivered by field professionals using adult learning techniques such as small group activities, reflective journal writings, and online consultation. Teachers in the treatment group outperformed teachers in the control group on three measures of teacher efficacy, teacher play efficacy, and attitudes toward inclusion. The results were statistically significant. The increase in teacher efficacy, play efficacy, and attitudes toward inclusion of teachers was attributed to the well-designed program, encompassing early development, disability characteristics, small group discussions, and online support. The results highlight the importance of providing and disseminating a capacity building program for in-service teachers.

Online support groups, social identity, and the health and wellbeing of adults with Long Covid: An interview study

AbstractAs many individuals with Long Covid are left without formal support, they have turned to online support groups for help. In a pre‐registered study, interviews were carried out with 21 adults with Long Covid to explore experiences of using online support groups, to understand whether participants felt these experiences influenced their health and wellbeing, and to identify whether group members developed a shared social identity. The reported benefits varied by the nature and size of the online support group: participants reported that smaller groups enabled a sense of community; occupation groups provided work‐specific support; and larger groups helped with symptom management. Interviewees reported that support groups validated members' experiences, made them feel less alone, and enhanced self‐efficacy by providing and offering support and enabling participants to learn new skills. However, negative outcomes were also reported, such as increased fear and reduced wellbeing. Shared identities developed based on mutual Long Covid experiences, shared values towards illness management, and pre‐existing identities. Reported experiences also varied between online support group size (large vs small); type (e.g., advocacy‐focused, yoga‐based, local or international); and platform (video‐ vs text‐based) and throughout the illness. Whilst this study recognises the necessity of medical treatment for Long Covid, we also recommended that individuals with Long Covid explore different support groups to find the most suitable group for them in terms of preferred group features, values towards illness management and enablement of social identities.

Diagnosis journey for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a qualitative study

ObjectiveThe objective is to explore the journey to diagnosis and referral pathway from the onset of symptoms to the initial assessments at paediatric rheumatology (PR) centres, based on the experience...

Long-term patient-reported values following cancer surgery: A global survey study.

We evaluated the long-term quality of life (QOL) and priorities of an international cohort of cancer surgery survivors. Patients were surveyed through online support groups. We utilized the Short Form-12 questionnaire to evaluate QOL and a novel survey to assess the relative importance of longevity, experience, and costs. A total of 592 patients from six continents responded. They were 58 ± 12 years old, 70% female, and 92% White. Patients averaged 37 months from their initial cancer diagnosis, with a maximum survivorship of 46 years. Across 17 disease sites, respondents generally ranked longevity, functional independence, and emotional well-being most important, while treatment experience and costs were ranked least important (W = 33.6%, p < 0.001). However, a subset of respondents ranked costs as significantly important. There were no differences in QOL based on demographics, except patients with higher education and income reported better QOL scores. Despite improvements in QOL throughout survivorship, both physical-QOL (41.1 ± 11.1 at 1 year vs. 42.3 ± 12.6 at 5 years, p = 0.511) and mental-QOL (41.3 ± 13.4 at 1 year vs. 44.6 ± 13.9 at 5 years, p = 0.039) remained below that of the general population (50 ± 10; both p < 0.001). Cancer survivors experience enduring physical and mental impairment throughout survivorship. Future efforts should aim to provide sustained support across varied socioeconomic groups, ensuring equitable care and enhancement of QOL postcancer treatment.

Online peer support for mental health in individuals with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: A pre-post pilot study with mixed methods.

This pilot examined the effect of online peer support on mental health problems among individuals with post-acute sequelae of COVID-2019 (PASC). A single-arm pre-post design of online peer-support design consisting of eight sessions of 1 h per week with three to six participants and two facilitators per group was performed. Participants were recruited from online communities, social media, and medical clinics for the PASC between May and August 2023. The degrees of depression, anxiety, loneliness, social withdrawal, and self-esteem were measured pre- and post-intervention. Participants' statements during the sessions were analyzed using thematic analyses. Of the 18 participants, three dropped out of the interventions, and 17 (including two participants who dropped out) completed the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Depression severity significantly decreased in the paired t-test and linear mixed model. The following interactions were extracted: conveying the same feelings, dealing with difficulties, showing empathy, enhancing the atmosphere, and adapting to suit health conditions. Impressions extracted from participating in the interventions included feelings of emotional support, a sense of bonding, changes in perspective, changes in behaviors or new actions through participation, inadequacy during sessions, and adverse effects associated with participation. Online peer support may be helpful in treating depression in individuals with PASC.

The relationship between perceived social support, coping style, and the quality of life and psychological state of lung cancer patients

BackgroundLung cancer has always a cancer that threatens human health. Quality of life also has been an important research topic. psychological state in patients can influence their quality of life, and perceived social support and coping styles are relevant facilitators of Quality of life, but this specific relationship has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study is focus on discussing the correlation of these four and understanding their potential mediating pathways.Materials and methodsThis is a cross-sectional study. A total of 300 Lung Cancer patients from a cancer hospital in Suzhou were surveyed. The Data was collected using the scales. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software.ResultsThe study revealed a significant serial mediation model between perceived social support and coping style: Psychological state regulates patients’ coping styles by influencing their perceived social support which ultimately has comprehensive impacts on their quality of life.ConclusionBased on the empirical results discussed, this study proposes the following suggestion: Provide good online support to form a related social media intervention matrix. meanwhile, expand the patients’ social network offline, provide channels for patients to express their troubles outwardly, and regularly assess the patients’ psychological status to improve their level of psychosocial adaptation. This will in turn enhance their negative coping strategies towards the disease and strengthen their ability to buffer against it, ultimately promoting a better quality of life for the patients.

Audio-Visual Media Based on Canva to Support Online Learning in SD 3 Wergu Wetan

Audio-Visual Media Based on Canva to Support Online Learning in SD 3 Wergu Wetan

Navigating Online and in-Person Support: Views and Experiences From Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse.

Various types of in-person and online support are available to women intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) survivors. However, we know little about the interplay between them. We investigated the transitions and interactions between these types of help and how their use can be optimized, using a mixed-methods approach (survey N = 107; interviews N = 18). Significant but weak correlations were found for specific IPVA and support types. No significant correlations were found between online and in-person help types. Almost 60% of survey participants expressed interest in blended care. Integration and optimization of online and blended care options can increase outreach and provide an enhanced, tailored help-seeking and recovery journey.

Illness experience and (unmet) needs of women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH): a qualitative analysis of an online forum

Objective Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is a congenital condition characterized by the underdevelopment or complete absence of the uterus and the upper part of the vagina. Diagnosis is commonly made during adolescence, a sensitive period for psychophysical development, following the absence of menstruation. Having MRKH syndrome can have a profound and multifaceted psychosocial impact that characterizes these women’s subjective experiences, although it continues to be qualitatively understudied. This article explores the lived experience of women with MRKH spontaneously recounted on an online support forum. The aim was to gain insight into the features of the syndrome experience to understand deeply the emotional and social impact of the condition and the individual needs expressed online. Methods Using a naturalistic observation stance, data was collected from an online support forum for MRKH women and systematically analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four main interconnected themes are identified: the impact of being diagnosed with MRKH, the difficult interaction with the medical environment, challenging social relationships, and the unmet needs of MRKH women. Conclusion A multidisciplinary and person-centered approach that provides effective and sensitive management of the condition and its psychosocial implications, is essential. Recommendations for future research and practical clinical implications for healthcare professionals are proposed.

Willingness of joining online support groups among men who have sex with men living with HIV in Shandong Province of China: A mixed methods study.

Online support groups afford new opportunities to help individuals affected by HIV/AIDS to seek social support from peers. The study aimed to understand the willingness and associated factors of joining online support groups among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV. The study followed a mixed method approach, with qualitative in-depth interviews followed by a quantitative cross-sectional survey in three cities of Shandong Province, China from 2019 to 2020. The in-depth interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic approach. In the quantitative analysis, explanatory variables included sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, psychological, and demand factors. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine the associated factors of willing to join online support groups. A total of 576 and 20 participants were included in the quantitative survey and qualitative interviews, respectively. Only 24.7% (142/576) of participants in the quantitative study were willing to join the online support group. Multivariable analysis showed the associated factors included income level, sexual orientation and availability of information. The barriers to joining online support groups included privacy disclosure concern and psychological pressure exposed to HIV-related information. Facilitators included information acquisition, mutual medication reminding, and emotional support. MSM living with HIV in China had relatively low willingness to join the online support groups. This study highlighted the importance of safeguarding privacy, involving professional mental health providers, and providing high-quality information when establishing online support groups for people living with HIV.

Letting go of self-transformation? lurkers’ tactics of body acceptance in and against an online support group for polycystic ovary syndrome

ABSTRACT Research often suggests that online support groups validate their members’ experiences, but feminists and sociologists have argued that they may also embrace individualistic or biomedical perspectives. Interviews with women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), associated with weight gain, highlighted that reading other women’s painful experiences in a Facebook support group helped them to accept their bodies, but that the group was replete with unwanted weight loss advice. Making sense of these contradictions this article makes three contributions. First, the findings illustrate that the way in which online support groups validate their members’ experiences may be more subterfuge and contradictory than previously thought. Second, the observations contribute to feminist research on online body positivity, as the women articulated an ambiguous desire to let themselves be rather than sought to become either traditionally thin and beautiful or in a popular feminist spirit confidently big and beautiful. Following from this observation, the article draws on and contributes to feminist media studies discussions on post- and popular feminism, suggesting that the women articulated a barely articulable emerging structure of feeling of yearning to let go of self-transformation, which pervades official health advice, support groups and much feminist content online.

Work-family interface during COVID-19: a sociolinguistic study of working mums’ identity and mental health

BackgroundThe dramatic reconfigurations of work-family roles and social boundaries resulting from the social restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic led working mums to look for online sites as spaces of emotional support and regulation where they could vent their emotions, share their concerns and griefs, and seek advice. They also became interactional spaces where mums’ relevant identities were reassessed and enacted as they aimed to balance work-family roles and improve their wellbeing. The paper explores how working mums discursively negotiated their multiple identities in an online support forum during times of global struggle, how these identity constructions reflect the domains of Work-Family Conflict (WFC) and how working mums perceived these identities are related to their mental health.Methods127 posts of Chilean working mums published in a public online support forum for working mums collected during the first half of 2020 were analysed in three phases. The first one involved a thematic analysis to identify themes and subthemes related to working mums’ identity construction in the data. The second phase involved conducting a narrative analysis of working mums’ microstorias in order to identify a master narrative crafted by these working mums, and contesting and conforming ideologies of motherhood, among others. Finally, the third phase involved a fine-grained discourse analysis of the most representative extracts illustrating working mums’ identity negotiation.ResultsThe sociolinguistic analysis showed that working mums’ discourses displayed three themes of self-reflection, namely, diminishing self-care, reassessing their self, and enhancing self through self-care. Identity-related sub-themes for each main theme are discussed and discursively analysed. Two main points are emphasised: (1) the identity that was most salient in working mums’ discourse was their personal identity (rather than work-family roles and identities), and (2) microstorias allowed working mums to challenge the hegemonic power of dominant discourses around their identities and their work-family roles.ConclusionsThe study shows that a sociolinguistic approach to the exploration of working mums’ identity negotiation is useful to highlight the ways in which mums contest binary assumptions of work-family roles and the need to reconsider working mums’ life domains so that they reflect working mums’ actual identity needs and lived experiences. Future lines of research are outlined.