PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to understand common themes and shared meanings of help seeking on the Internet for persons with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). SETTING: The study took place over an on-line, informal, public, electronic bulletin board for persons with ICDs. SAMPLE: The sample included 469 postings by 75 users during 15 months. RESULTS: Four related themes and 1 constitutive pattern were constructed. Themes included seeking and giving meaningful information; sharing personal perspectives; storytelling as common grounding; and supportive interacting. The constitutive pattern is "therapeutic connection." IMPLICATIONS: Persons with ICDs are proactive, using Internet bulletin boards to seek practical information and support in coping with daily anxieties of living with an ICD. This form of self-directed patient education focuses on common experiences of illness versus information obtained from health care providers.
PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to understand common themes and shared meanings of help seeking on the Internet for persons with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). SETTING: The study took place over an on-line, informal, public, electronic bulletin board for persons with ICDs. SAMPLE: The sample included 469 postings by 75 users during 15 months. RESULTS: Four related themes and 1 constitutive pattern were constructed. Themes included seeking and giving meaningful information; sharing personal perspectives; storytelling as common grounding; and supportive interacting. The constitutive pattern is "therapeutic connection." IMPLICATIONS: Persons with ICDs are proactive, using Internet bulletin boards to seek practical information and support in coping with daily anxieties of living with an ICD. This form of self-directed patient education focuses on common experiences of illness versus information obtained from health care providers.
Authors: Mirela Habibović; Pim Cuijpers; Marco Alings; Pepijn van der Voort; Dominic Theuns; Leon Bouwels; Jean-Paul Herrman; Suzanne Valk; Susanne Pedersen Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2014-02-28 Impact factor: 5.428