Peer support from online community on the internet among patients with breast cancer in Japan.

This study describes the current status of peer support through an online community among patients with breast cancer, and examines how the support differs through the patients' usage of the community. Self-reported questionnaires distributed to 465 patients through Internet were analyzed. Analysis indicated the peer support among patients was categorized according to the following 5 factors: "emotional support, helper-therapy," "emotional expression," "conflict," "advice," and "insight, universality." Even the patients who only read the postings of other patients received benefits from the community.