Exploring predictors of and barriers to online prostate cancer community use: A cross-sectional survey of users and non-users.

OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer survivors are increasingly turning to online communities for support. This study explored predictors of and barriers to use. METHODS: A prospective survey of 141 Australian prostate cancer survivors assessed sociodemographic, clinical, psychosocial, and attitudinal characteristics associated with intention to use, and subsequent use of online communities. RESULTS: The sample was divided into current, past, and non-user groups. Current users reported more intent to use online communities and had higher levels of social support. Current and past users, and their close contacts, held a more positive attitude towards use. Non-users experienced more barriers to use, fewer life impacts due to health changes, and were more likely to live in rural or remote regions. According to current users online prostate cancer communities are too informal, to past users they are too time intensive, and non-users believe they are too shallow. The most critical barriers to use were finding a suitable community, time to use them, and being capable of talking about or articulating their illness on the Internet. While these forums allow men to share experiences, gain recognition and understanding, and receive information, they may lead men to becoming too preoccupied with their illness and feeling more concerned about the consequences of their disease. CONCLUSION: Improving attitudes towards online communities and reducing barriers to use may help better encourage men with unmet supportive care needs to seek help from these groups. Future research exploring supporter attitudes towards use and explicating how men are supported online is needed.

A scoping review of the characteristics and benefits of online prostate cancer communities.

OBJECTIVE: Online prostate cancer communities (OPCaCs) have emerged as a new source of support, not bounded by geographic barriers, for men living with prostate cancer. This scoping review mapped the existing literature to explore the characteristics and benefits of OPCaCs, identify knowledge gaps, and direct future research. METHODS: A six-step methodological framework for scoping reviews was followed. Four electronic databases were searched for relevant studies. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and full texts, against predefined criteria: empirical research, post 1990, in English-language peer-reviewed journals; participants included prostate cancer survivors; and research explored online peer support. Data were extracted from the studies and quality assessed. RESULTS: The search yielded 905 studies, with 21 selected for synthesis. Despite significant increases in online forum membership, in the last decade, nearly half of the research was conducted over a decade ago. Three studies were rated high quality, the rest moderate. All but one of the studies were observational and cross-sectional. Men reported that sharing information helped them deal with their diagnosis and treatment side effects. They also gained a sense of camaraderie with men who shared similar experiences. Due to divergent methodologies and reporting standards, assessment regarding OPCaC efficacy is not possible. CONCLUSION: OPCaCs may be a cost-effective and accessible resource for delivering peer support to men living with prostate cancer. While self-reported evidence as to the benefits of OPCaCs exists, more longitudinal comparative studies, utilising consistent measurement approaches, are needed to support the claims.

Suicidal behaviours and moderator support in online health communities: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Online support can be a crucial source of support for individuals experiencing suicidal behaviours, with forum moderators being pivotal in terms of the role they play in times of personal mental health emergencies. This study identified what is empirically known about the professional practices of health professionals who are online mental health forum moderators and provide support to individuals experiencing suicidal behaviours. DESIGN: The Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien extension of the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework was used. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Psychology Collection (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), Web of Science, Taylor and Francis Online, SAGE Journals and Science Direct databases were searched for articles that featured a result relating to an online forum; included participants who worked as online moderators or facilitators and focused on suicide or self-harm. Results were limited to peer-reviewed articles published in English from 1990 onwards. As a quality assurance measure, grey literature (nonacademic literature) was not included. Reference lists of included articles were hand-searched. RESULTS: There were 397 articles initially identified after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, with five articles included for synthesis. All articles received a moderate quality rating. Only one article featured a moderator who was a qualified health professional; the moderators in the remaining articles were volunteers who undertook preservice training. We found that there is little research that examines the professional working practices of online moderators who support individuals experiencing suicidal behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: The dearth of research focusing on the professional practices of online forum moderators is cause for concern given that individuals experiencing suicidal behaviours are increasingly turning to online forums when in crisis. Future research should focus on online moderators' practice through interviewing moderators about their professional practices and by examining online moderator practice as it occurs in situ.

Suicidal behaviours and moderator support in online health communities: protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours are common yet complex mental health presentations that can pose significant challenges for health professionals. The inability to accurately predict the individuals who may move from experiencing suicidal ideation and associated behaviours, to completing suicide, presents one such challenge. This can make it difficult to provide interventions and support to those most in need. Online health communities are one possible source of support for individuals who experience suicidal ideation and behaviours. These communities are becoming an increasingly popular way of accessing support, often with life-saving consequences. Within online communities, support is offered by various individuals including, in some instances, health professionals from various backgrounds, who work as online health community moderators. Given the growth of online communities and the increasing number of health professionals working as moderators, this scoping review seeks to map the literature that has focused on health professionals working as online community moderators, who interact with members experiencing suicidal ideation and behaviours. Mapping the existing literature offers benefits to both research and practice by identifying gaps in the research and providing a beginning knowledge base of current practice that can inform the training and development of health professionals working as community moderators. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review will follow the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley, later adapted by Levac et al. To ensure appropriate rigour, this protocol uses the 20-item Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and extension for Scoping Reviews. Literature will be identified using a search strategy developed in consultation with a specialist research librarian at the university where the researchers are employed. Ten multidisciplinary databases will be independently searched by two researchers, and both researchers will screen for inclusion, and undertake the data extraction. The first author will perform a quality assessment of the articles that are selected for inclusion. A second researcher will complete a random audit of 20% of the included articles to assess for quality and suitability in answering the research questions. The first author will complete the analysis and synthesis of the data. A numerical and narrative synthesis of the included studies will be provided. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The scoping review has been deemed as being exempt from ethical review as no data will be collected from human participants. The results of the scoping review may be published in a peer-reviewed journal, thesis, presented at relevant conferences, and shared with relevant knowledge users.