JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Online communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and access content that can support the self-management of long-term conditions. Recently, the importance of online social networks as sources of health information and social support has been brought into focus with the emergence and widespread societal impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although online communities exist for older adults, little is known about the specific health and self-care topics that older people discuss in such environments, and how these relate to users’ support needs and outcomes. A better understanding of users’ needs and peer-to-peer communication in these communities is necessary to inform the design of information and communication technology (ICT) interventions that are relevant and meaningful to older people and their supporters.

Objective:

We will use a two-phase online ethnographic (netnography) and co-design approach to: (i) explore the specific health and self-care topics that older adults discuss in a UK-based online community and how peer supporters respond to these queries with informational and/or social support; and (ii) engage with stakeholders to define the need and requirements for new ICT-based interventions capable of reducing social isolation and facilitating long-term condition self-management support.

Methods:

The first phase of the research will involve a qualitative netnographic analysis of discussion forum posts in a publicly accessible online community. The second phase will involve co-design workshops with healthcare consumers (i.e., older adults and carers) and service providers to determine the needs and requirements for new ICT-based interventions and digital innovations. Constructivist grounded theory will be used in the first phase; in the second phase, the co-design workshops will be audio-recorded and analysed thematically.

Results:

This research project is in progress. Permission has been obtained from the website administrator to use materials from the social media forum and data collection for the first phase began in April 2020. The second phase of the study is expected to begin in late 2020. This study is due to be complete at the end of 2021.

Conclusions:

This study is the first we are aware of to combine qualitative netnography with an iterative co-design framework to specify the need and requirements for new ICT-based interventions. The findings from this study will inform the next phase of the multi-phase knowledge translation project and will provide insights into the potential of online peer health communities to reduce social isolation and facilitate long-term condition self-management support and self-care. Clinical Trial: N/A