Please read Dr. Chen’s article in the Journal of Medical Internet Research titled, “Identifying Influences in Patient Decision-making Processes in Online Health Communities: Data Science Approach.“
In recent years, online health communities (OHCs) such as the Cancer Survivors Network (CSN), MedHelp, DoctorLounge, WebMD, and Health-boards message boards have become one of the most important resources that patients leverage. An OHC is defined as an asynchronous web-based message board system for patients that contains multiple message boards, each of which typically focuses on 1 disease. OHCs provide a web-based channel that enables information exchange, facilitates communication, and provides support to patients and caregivers. They are especially valuable for patients with chronic diseases to learn about their conditions and seek social support. To read the full article.
Identifying Influences in Patient Decision-making Processes in Online Health Communities: Data Science Approach. Li M, Shi J, Chen Y. J Med Internet Res. 2022 Aug 31;24(8):e30634. PMID: 36044266 PMCID: PMC9475411 DOI: 10.2196/30634