A Qualitative Analysis of "Naturalistic" Conversations in a Peer-Led Online Support Community for Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Online support communities are popular in use by patients with cancer and their families for emotional, informational, and social support. Nonetheless, most research has focused on diagnoses other than lung cancer, indicating a need for studies to include more diverse participants and cancer conditions.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to describe the content of messages in a United States-based online support community for lung cancer.

METHODS

A descriptive exploratory qualitative approach was used to analyze a sample of 688 pages with threaded messages across 2 time periods in 2008 and 2009. We analyzed 68 main posts and 586 replies in 344 pages for period 1 (262 users), and 55 main posts and 697 replies in 344 pages for period 2 (307 users).

RESULTS

Most users were female and equally divided as patients or support persons. Content analysis generated 9 themes: disease information, diagnostic test information, treatment information, symptoms, marked deterioration, advocacy, experiencing healthcare providers and the system, positive survivorship, and making sense of emotions.

CONCLUSION

Findings highlighted how the online support community is a valued, accessible avenue for information exchange and nonjudgmental emotional support for individuals dealing with lung cancer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Findings of daily living needs as articulated in this online community serve as a valuable guide for nurses to: better understand support needs, participate in developing and evaluating effective Internet and educational supports, and be better informed as advocates for more resources for Internet support mechanisms for people dealing with stigmatized conditions such as lung cancer.