Outcomes of online support and resources for cancer survivors: A systematic literature review

Hong, Yan; Peña-Purcell, Ninfa C.; Ory, Marcia G.

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2011.06.014

Cited by 138 publications

(156 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…3 One randomized trial 19 and one uncontrolled trial 20 showed significant reductions in depression symptoms among patients with breast cancer participating in facilitated ISGs. Trials without a facilitator have shown less positive results.…”

Section: Journal Of Clinical Oncology O R I G I N a L R E P O R T V Omentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparing Standard Versus Prosocial Internet Support Groups for Patients With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Helper Therapy Principle

Lepore

Buzaglo

Lieberman

et al. 2014

JCO

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Purpose Internet support group (ISG) members benefit from receiving social support and, according to the helper therapy principle, by providing support to others. To test the mental health benefits of providing support to others, this trial compared the efficacy of a standard ISG (S-ISG) and an enhanced prosocial ISG (P-ISG). Methods A two-armed randomized controlled trial with 1-month pretest and post-test assessments was conducted with women (N = 184) diagnosed in the past 36 months with nonmetastatic breast cancer who reported elevated anxiety or depression. Women were randomly assigned to either the S-ISG or P-ISG condition. Both conditions included six professionally facilitated live chat sessions (90-minute weekly sessions) and access to an asynchronous discussion board; P-ISG also included structured opportunities to help and encourage others. Results Relative to the S-ISG, participants in the P-ISG condition exhibited more supportive behaviors (emotional, informational, and companionate support), posted more messages that were other-focused and fewer that were self-focused, and expressed less negative emotion (P < .05). Relative to the S-ISG, participants in the P-ISG condition had a higher level of depression and anxiety symptoms after the intervention (P < .05). Conclusion Despite the successful manipulation of supportive behaviors, the P-ISG did not produce better mental health outcomes in distressed survivors of breast cancer relative to an S-ISG. The prosocial manipulation may have inadvertently constrained women from expressing their needs openly, and thus, they may not have had their needs fully met in the group. Helping others may not be beneficial as a treatment for distressed survivors of breast cancer.

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Section: Journal Of Clinical Oncology O R I G I N a L R E P O R T V Omentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 Internet support groups (ISGs) can increase access to psychosocial support, yet trials of cancer ISGs have yielded mixed results. 3 Thus, there is a need to enhance the effectiveness of cancer ISGs to better serve patients. Cancer ISGs provide the benefit of access to support, but also provide opportunities to give support to others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing Standard Versus Prosocial Internet Support Groups for Patients With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Helper Therapy Principle

Lepore

Buzaglo

Lieberman

et al. 2014

JCO

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Such communities can serve to either support or suppress health-promoting behaviours [2,9], though they have been noted as having largely positive effects [12]. This is possibly because they offer a means for people to learn more about the day-to-day aspects of living with a disease, managing a health condition or treatment side effects, and other lived experience aspects of health [9].…”

Section: Online Health Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life transitions and online health communities

Massimi

Bender

Witteman

et al. 2014

Proceedings of the 17th ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work &Amp; Social Computing

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Online health communities are places where people can come together in order to exchange social support at a particular point in an individual's life. There are, however, relatively few accounts that look across multiple communities across the lifespan. In this paper, we reflect on four case studies of research on different online health communities in order to identify patterns in how individuals selectively adopt, use, and disengage from these communities throughout their lives. We argue that users leaving communities is not necessarily a failing of the site's design or purpose; rather, it is a logical reaction to changing life circumstances. In characterizing this pattern, we contribute a set of implications for design and management that bear consideration by online community designers, developers, moderators, and end users. Ultimately this may lead to a smoother transition from community to community and ensure that social support needs are being met more consistently in response to changing life circumstances.

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“…14 Despite research advances, little attention has been paid to the role of social-networking in supporting AYAs affected by cancer. Empirical, effect-focused research examining cancer-related online support concentrates on a few cancers with minimal examination of broader diagnoses or demographics, 10,21,22 as is being done here. The current study is an important extension, because it addresses the role messages play in online peer support for a population with well-documented support needs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Psychosocial Support Online: A Content Analysis of Messages in an Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Community

Love

Crook

Thompson

et al. 2012

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking

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The increased usage of online cancer support groups as a resource for health-related information and social support has sparked numerous discussions about the role of online support in healthcare. However, little is known about the role of social-networking groups focused on supporting adolescents and young adults (AYAs) dealing with cancer. The current investigation report findings from a content analysis designed to explore how AYAs use an online support group to meet their psychosocial needs. Overall, members of the community focused on exchanging emotional and informational support, coping with difficult emotions through expression, describing experiences of being an AYA dealing with cancer through language (metaphors), enacting identity through evaluations of the new normal (life with and after cancer), and communicating membership as an AYA with cancer. This study highlights the unique needs of the AYA cancer community and offers a preliminary roadmap for practitioners, and network members, such as family and friends, to attempt to meet the needs of this unique community.

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Outcomes of online support and resources for cancer survivors: A systematic literature review

Cited by 138 publications

References 55 publications

Comparing Standard Versus Prosocial Internet Support Groups for Patients With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Helper Therapy Principle

Comparing Standard Versus Prosocial Internet Support Groups for Patients With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Helper Therapy Principle

Life transitions and online health communities

Exploring Psychosocial Support Online: A Content Analysis of Messages in an Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Community

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