Gender and online cancer support groups: issues facing male cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Men are underrepresented in cancer support groups. They emphasize information seeking rather than emotional support and are less likely to express negative emotion critical for change. Three hypotheses were tested; men compared to women express fewer negative emotions, especially about their cancer, and men experience more fear and apprehension.


METHODS
Four online professionally led groups were sampled. Assessments of emotions and fears used 3 text analysis programs.


RESULTS
Women expressed more negative emotions. These differences were more pronounced when discussing their cancer. Men experienced greater anxiety/fear, which may explain their under representation.


CONCLUSIONS
The dual dilemma of attracting men to support groups and directing them to emotional issues represents a challenge to health providers.
Lieberman
Morton A
MA
University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. morton.lieberman@ucsf.edu
D001007:Anxiety; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*