title: Communities of Care and Caring: The Case of MSWatch.com(R).
abstract: Can a health-care website stimulate its members to become a `community of care and caring', facilitating both medical `information' and personal `support'? This study of MSWatch.com provides conceptual distinctions about `ties' to a `community' and raises questions about communications designed to serve patients with Multiple Sclerosis. An online survey of members of the website shows that members tend to: (1) make use of both its health-care information (care) and support (caring) functions, especially the former; (2) evaluate the website more highly overall if they make use of both information and support; (3) use the website the most during early stages of the disease; and (4) enhance their ties to the virtual community through using communication information and support.
authors: Weis Communications, USA. weiscmu@aol.com.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Weis
authors: Keith
authors: K
authors: Stamm
authors: Craig
authors: C
authors: Smith
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Nilan
authors: Fiona
authors: F
authors: Clark
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Weis
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Kennedy