title: Determinants of engagement in face-to-face and online patient support groups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although peer-to-peer contact might empower patients in various ways, studies show that only a few patients actually engage in support groups.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of our study was to explore factors that facilitate or impede engagement in face-to-face and online peer support, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was completed by 679 patients being treated for arthritis, breast cancer, or fibromyalgia at two Dutch regional hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that only a minority of the patients engaged in organized forms of peer support. In total 10% (65/679) of the respondents had engaged in face-to-face meetings for patients in the past year. Only 4% (30/679) of the respondents had contact with peers via the Internet in the past year. Patients were more positive about face-to-face peer support than about online peer support (P < .001). In accordance with the TPB, having a more positive attitude (P < .01) and feeling more supported by people in the social environment (P < .001) increased the intention to participate in both kinds of peer support. In addition, perceived behavioral control (P = .01) influenced the intention to participate in online peer support. Nevertheless, the intention to engage in face-to-face and online peer support was only modestly predicted by the TPB variables (R(2) = .33 for face-to-face contact and R(2) = .26 for online contact).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although Health 2.0 Internet technology has significantly increased opportunities for having contact with fellow patients, only a minority seem to be interested in organized forms of peer contact (either online or face-to-face). Patients seem somewhat more positive about face-to-face contact than about online contact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelia F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Van Uden-Kraan
authors.forename: Constance H C
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Drossaert
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taal
authors.forename: Willem M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: Hein J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bernelot Moens
authors.forename: Mart A F J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Van de Laar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009426:Netherlands; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D061108:Social Media; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires