Attributes of interactive online health information systems.
The development of online communication systems related to prevention, decision making, and coping with cancer has outpaced theoretical attention to the attributes that appeal to system users and that create effective interactions. This essay reviews a number of sociotechnical attributes related to online discussion systems and tutorials, including interactivity, presence, homophily, social distance, anonymity/privacy, and interaction management. These attributes are derived from different theoretical perspectives which have led to clinical trials and other empirical studies demonstrating effectiveness or attraction to end users. The effects of a subset of these attributes are connected to learning, social influence, and coping, as illustrated in evaluations of an interactive smoking prevention site and a cancer advice/support discussion system.
Department of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. joe.walther@cornell.edu
Joseph B
JB
Walther
Suzanne
S
Pingree
Robert P
RP
Hawkins
David B
DB
Buller
D001294:Attitude to Health; D019034:CD-I; D004645:Empathy; D006262:Health; D006282:Health Personnel; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards; D020407:Internet; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D009862:Online Systems; D012929:Psychological Distance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support