Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo.

BACKGROUND: For more than 20 years, and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for people to discuss health issues. This study investigates the motivations of participants to post a message on a French online health forum (called 'Doctissimo') (Forum Santé - Doctissimo,  2022). METHOD: Between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, all the first messages recorded on the health forum doctissimo ( www.forum.doctissimo.fr ) were selected in their initial format by a crawler. The transcripts were imported into the qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Two researchers coded the data until a theoretical saturation was obtained. RESULTS: We identified four categories of motivation: 1) 'Questioning' allows the exchange of mainly medical information, or sharing of feedback on experiences with the disease: 1722 codes, 44.8%, 2) Worry, need for reassurance: 1066 codes, 27.7% about symptoms or anticipatory anxiety, 3) 'Expressing oneself' mainly allows a catharsis and thus an emotional release, especially negative, but also to share a personal experience: 764 codes 19.9%, 4) Community spirit is a central element to create an emotional support group for psychological support, exchange ideas, meet people in similar situations: 291 codes, 7.6%. The relationship with a health professional when mentioned is generally marked by doubts 39.5%, confusion, or lack of information and the need for additional elements 64.6% or reassurance 60%. The relationship and the obstacles to a medical consultation are described in relation to the use of the forum: immediate availability, anonymity, absence of taboo and community spirit. CONCLUSION: The use of information sources offered by the Internet is a way to ask questions, to be reassured, to express oneself or to be confirmed by the community in the hypothesis emitted by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate answer, they come to the community for reassurance, they feel free and legitimate.

Immunocytochemical diagnosis of skin tumours of the dog with special reference to undifferentiated types.

Immunoperoxidase techniques for S-100 protein, keratin, cytokeratin, vimentin and desmin were applied to 65 canine skin tumours. These included eight squamous cell carcinomas, eight fibrosarcomas, eight melanomas, eight mastocytomas, eight haemangiosarcomas, eight leiomyosarcomas, five liposarcomas and 12 poorly differentiated tumours. Consistent results were obtained within each group. Cytokeratin and keratin immunoreactivity was detected only in squamous cell carcinomas. Vimentin was present in fibrosarcomas, melanomas, haemangiosarcomas, mastocytomas, leiomyosarcomas and liposarcomas. S-100 protein immunoreactivity was detected in melanomas, haemangiosarcomas, liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas. Only leiomyosarcomas were positive for desmin. According to these results the 12 anaplastic tumours were diagnosed either as carcinomas, fibrosarcomas or malignant melanomas.

Immunohistochemical localization of S-100 protein and lysozyme in canine lymph nodes and lymphomas.

The present study concerns the immunocytochemical localization of S-100 protein and lysozyme in the cells of canine lymph nodes and lymphomas. In the normal canine lymph node S-100 protein was detected in follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and in interdigitating reticulum cells (IRCs). S-100 positive cells were found in thirteen out of twenty-four lymphomas, scattered throughout the tumour or in follicles. In three cases (two cutaneous lymphomas and one nodal lymphoma) the number of positive cells was high, although the main proliferating cell population was S-100 negative. In normal lymph nodes lysozyme immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm of cortical and medullary histiocytes. Lymphomatous cells were negative for lysozyme, although in three cases lysozyme-positive cells were present between the lymphatic cells. The possible origin of these S-100 or lysozyme positive cells is discussed. It is suggested that S-100 protein and lysozyme can be used as useful markers for these two types of dendritic cells and for macrophages.