Groups in Health Contexts: Online Health Communities

Although groups play an important role in many aspects of life, they can be especially critical in health contexts. Online health communities are a space where groups of people concerned about the same health condition interact to give and receive aid. The digital coping model is applied in this chapter to gain insights about why people join these communities, how they are used as a coping resource, and the role played by technology. Three forms of distress, four communication technology affordances, and four types of digital coping behavior relevant to people participating in online health communities are examined. The chapter concludes with some evidence-based recommendations for practice.