Online Communities as a Driver for Patient Empowerment: Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The use of online resources has changed how people manage health care processes. Patients seek information about health conditions, guidance in treatment, and support from peers online, complementary to traditional health care trajectories. Online communities have the potential to contribute to the quality of care by increasing patient empowerment; however, there is a gap in research regarding in what way online communities contribute to patient empowerment.

Objective

We synthesized research regarding how online communities contribute to patient empowerment to address the research question "In what ways can participation in online communities support patient empowerment?" by studying how patient empowerment is operationalized in different studies. The definition o

SUBMITTER: Johansson V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7902187 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature