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Abstract #154276

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Tamar Ginossar, PhD, Communication, University of New Mexico, 804 Grandview, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, 505-8849251, tginossar@yahoo.com

Internet cancer communities (ICCs) provide a new and unique collective setting for people with cancer. Thus, these communities have the potential to advance public health and to promote health by encouraging collective action. The current study utilized a qualitative analysis of participation in ICCs to examine advocacy processes in ICCs. The analysis included over 1,000 email messages posted to two different ICCs. Findings: the content of email messages in these groups included attempts to promote three types of advocacy: (a) self-advocacy in communication with health care providers, (b) rallies and fund-raising for awareness, research and treatment for the type of cancer the community suffered from. To a lesser degree, communication in ICCs related to (c) issues related to health insurance and/or to larger health-policy issues. In addition, communication in the lung-cancer ICC related to Tobacco Companies were raised. Finally, grass-root organization utilized lung ICCs to gain visibility and promote their cause. Conclusions: ICCs might be sights for a new form of activist groups and health promotion. Communication in ICCs manifest participants' feeling of psychological empowering processes, and calls for activism. Future studies are needed to explore whether participation in online groups is associated with similar behaviors to those of FTF activists groups.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the importance of online activism
• Recognize major issues in advocacy in Internet Cancer Communities
• Articulate similarities and difference in advocacy in two different Internet Cancer Communities
• List future directions in research of communication of advocacy in Internet Cancer Communities

Keywords: Cancer, Internet

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout