Empathic mediation of information: online forum for cancer patients
Empathic mediation of information: online forum for cancer patients

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, we describe our research about cancer patients’ use of the Internet, especiallyonline forums. Many studies in health communication have focused on the benefits of onlinecommunities for cancer patients, but few have looked into how the group contribute to theindividual and vice versa. This paper offers a detailed review of the current issues withe-health and a discussion of theories and concepts helpful in understanding the phenomenonof online communities. It follows with the methodological approaches considered in orderto study such a delicate subject. Finally, we shall discuss the gap between official discourseand the reality face by cancer patients. Health organizations have an economic incentive topromote patient empowerment. Medical professional and health care facilities could benefitby including online forum in their treatment protocols, but it is not the case. Patients arewarned not to go online, which they do because too many questions are left unanswered,feeling overwhelm by the treatments and how to deal with side effects. This paper showsthat patients gain much more than information, they gain an empathetic group of othercancer patients. And the search for information is more efficient with empathy and social andemotional support.

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