title: Evaluation of an internet support group for women with primary breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women with breast carcinoma commonly experience psychologic distress following their diagnosis. Women who participate in breast cancer support groups have reported significant reduction in their psychologic distress and pain and improvement in the quality of their lives. Web-based breast cancer social support groups are widely used, but little is known of their effectiveness. Preliminary evidence suggests that women benefit from their participation in web-based support groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two women with primary breast carcinoma were assigned randomly to a 12-week, web-based, social support group (Bosom Buddies). The group was semistructured, moderated by a health care professional, and delivered in an asynchronous newsgroup format.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate that a web-based support group can be useful in reducing depression and cancer-related trauma, as well as perceived stress, among women with primary breast carcinoma. The effect sizes ranged from 0.38 to 0.54. Participants perceived a variety of benefits and high satisfaction from their participation in the intervention
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the web-based program, Bosom Buddies, was effective in reducing participants' scores on depression, perceived stress, and cancer-related trauma measures. The effect size of the intervention was in the moderate range. Although web-based social support groups offer many advantages, this delivery mechanism presents a number of ethical issues that need to be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5722, USA. winzel@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Winzelberg
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.forename: Georg W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Alpers
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koopman
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Heidemarie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Parvati
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dev
authors.forename: C Barr
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology