"As more and more people are comfortable sharing the intimate details of their lives online via blogs and social networks, the future of health-related virtual communities is looking brighter than ever - with thousands of people logging on to share side effects" (independant.co.uk)
"Online health communities have emerged as valuable resources of health information, self-help, and mutual support" (arthiritis.about.com). Online health communities provide patients to communicate and interact about their health online. They can provide participants with hope and the truth. Patients are able to learn about their illness through those who are or have gone through the same circumstances and can receive support through open discussions with people who truly know what they are going through.
Health communities can aid patients with emotional support especially if they are feeling alone, and do not want face to face medical communication and support about embarassing illnesses. Doctors who have signed up to online communities are also able to give their experience and share knowledge, as well as learn more about patients emotions and feelings while they are going through bad experiences in order to provide better support.
Data-sharing platforms like 'PatientsLikeme' and other Internet sources can be seen as a way of bridging the gap between patients who feel alone and do not know anyone going through the same problems,. PatientsLikeMe are a health data sharing platform, who believe they can "transform the way patients manage their own conditions, change the way industry conducts research and improve patient care" (patientslikeme.com).
However, there is the risk of authencity of the participants in online health communities as well as misinformation...
References
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/more-patients-flock-to-growing-online-health-communities-2267692.html
http://arthritis.about.com/od/support/a/onlinehealth.htm
http://patientslikeme.com
Certain Patients find it difficult to speak to their own GPs because of their embarrassing issues. By having a networking forum such as patients like me, can help aid individuals to share their experiences with people that are going through the same issues.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, there are doctors that are on twitter who are always tweeting about health advice, and have a huge following. As well as reading tweets, patients can directly ask certain doctors about a health issues and may even get a response back. Social networking sites such as twitter is a great source for medical advice especially when its coming from actual practicing doctors and even nurses.
Definitely, many avoid going to their GP's so social network are a great way of making people aware of illnesses, symptoms and also direct advice. The main advantage of a site like patientslikeme.com is also the support from those in the same situation in the online health community, which wouldn't come from sites like Twitter as much.
ReplyDelete