title: Coding and evaluating facilitator posts for an online cancer survivor workshop.
abstract: One-hundred and forty-five people attended six online cancer survivor workshops. Each workshop was monitored by two facilitators, who generated a total of 1,537 online posts. The authors developed a scheme for coding facilitator posts, combining grounded codes with categories developed by Spiegel and Classen for coding therapist responses in cancer support groups. Participants received a mean of 10.6 facilitator posts. Improvement in two health outcomes (practice of mental relaxation and illness intrusiveness) were significantly correlated with supportive posts and total number of posts. The coding scheme was easily applied and appears reliable. The data suggests that more facilitation is better.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University Patient Education Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra Ann
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gits
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lorig
mesh_terms: D059019:Clinical Coding / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*