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Sanger, S. orcid.org/0000-0002-0669-634X, Duffin, S. orcid.org/0000-0002-1079-5172, Gough, R.E. orcid.org/0000-0002-5587-4683 et al. (1 more author) (2023) Use of online health forums by people living with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: thematic analysis. JMIR Cancer, 9. e42783. ISSN 2369-1999
Abstract
Background: At the time of the UK COVID-19 lockdowns, online health forums (OHFs) were one of the relatively few remaining accessible sources of peer support for people living with breast cancer. Cancer services were heavily affected by the pandemic in many ways, including the closure of many of the customary support services. Previous studies indicate that loneliness, anxiety, distress, and depression caused by COVID-19 were common among people living with breast cancer, and this suggests that the role of OHFs in providing users with support, information, and empathy could have been of increased importance at that time.
Objective: This study aimed to examine how people living with breast cancer shared information, experiences, and emotions in an OHF during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This qualitative study thematically analyzed posts from the discussion forums of an OHF provided by the UK charity, Breast Cancer Now. We selected 1053 posts from the time of 2 UK lockdowns: March 16, 2020, to June 15, 2020 (lockdown 1), and January 6, 2021, to March 8, 2021 (lockdown 3), for analysis, from 2 of the forum’s boards (for recently diagnosed people and for those undergoing chemotherapy). We analyzed the data using the original 6 steps for thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke but by following a codebook approach. Descriptive statistics for posts were also derived.
Results: We found that COVID-19 amplified the forum’s value to its users. As patients with cancer, participants were in a situation that was “bad enough already,” and the COVID-19 pandemic heightened this difficult situation. The forum’s value, which was already high for the information and peer support it provided, increased because COVID-19 caused some special information needs that forum users were uniquely well placed to fulfill as people experiencing the combined effects of having breast cancer during the pandemic. The forum also met the emotional needs generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and was valued as a place where loneliness during the pandemic may be relieved and users’ spirits lifted in a variety of ways specific to this period. We found some differences in use between the 2 periods and the 2 boards—most noticeable was the great fear and anxiety expressed at the beginning of lockdown 1. Both the beginning and end of lockdown periods were particularly difficult for participants, with the ends seen as potentially increasing isolation.
Conclusions: The forums were an important source of support and information to their users, with their value increasing during the lockdowns for a variety of reasons. Our findings will be helpful to organizations offering OHFs and to health care workers advising people living with breast cancer about sources of support.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | ©Sally Sanger, Suzanne Duffin, Rosemarie E Gough, Peter A Bath. Originally published in JMIR Cancer. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Cancer, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://cancer.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included. |
Keywords: | COVID-19; breast cancer; coronavirus; discussion forum; information use; online health forum; pandemic; web-based communities |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Information School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 22 Feb 2023 10:06 |
Last Modified: | 22 Feb 2023 10:06 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | JMIR Publications Inc. |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.2196/42783 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:196687 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Use of online health forums by people living with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative analysis (Preprint). (deposited 22 Nov 2022 13:15)
- Use of online health forums by people living with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: thematic analysis. (deposited 22 Feb 2023 10:06) [Currently Displayed]