title: Support group webcasting: a feasibility assessment.
abstract: Stress from chronic illness can be ameliorated by participation in support groups (SGs). Attending "gold standard" in-person, moderated SGs can be challenging. Taking care to address confidentiality concerns, we developed a web-based method for remote participants to "attend" in-person SGs. Authorized participants gain a realtime, audiovisual connection to the SG; on-site attendees discuss textual comments sent by remote participants to, and selected for discussion by, the group moderator. Feasibility studies with three SGs are encouraging.
authors.affiliation: Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Lawrence B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Afrin
authors.forename: W James
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Finch
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D012657:Self-Help Groups