Chronically ill benefit from cyber chats: reviewInteractive websites that allow people to connect with each other for advice can help those with chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, a review suggests. Called interactive health communication applications, these sites are meant to help people make more informed decisions, change patterns of behaviour such as diet and exercise, and find support.
"People with chronic disease often want more information about their illness and the various treatment options available," said study author Elizabeth Murray of University College London. Programs that combine information with online peer support may be one way of meeting their needs, Murray said. The team reviewed 24 studies involving more than 3,700 participants to see if the programs had a positive effect in terms of knowledge, clinical outcomes and self-efficacy people believing in their capacity to make beneficial changes. Information-only sites had no effect but those offering chat room support had positive results. The researchers reported the findings on Oct. 19 in the Cochrane Library, which publishes evaluations of medical research.
They concluded the programs appear to have largely positive effects, but more high-quality studies with larger samples sizes are needed to confirm the findings and determine the best way to offer the service. An earlier review by the team concluded the programs could have a harmful effect in some cases, but the review contained errors and was withdrawn. |
