title: Internet discussion forums, an information and support resource for orthognathic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Orthognathic patients appear to be increasingly using the Internet to obtain information about their proposed treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the information that orthognathic patients share and discuss with peers away from the clinical environment to improve the provision of information for orthognathic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Posts made by persons in a large publicly accessible online orthognathic discussion forum were analyzed; 1912 randomly selected forum posts were evaluated using a qualitative analysis technique known as "thematic analysis" that involves coding the posts and collating them into meaningful and distinct themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main themes identified were (1) reasons for undergoing orthognathic treatment, (2) presurgery and postsurgery treatment stages including orthodontics, (3) surgery including postsurgical complications and difficulties, (4) expected and actual end of treatment changes, and (5) seeking and sharing information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that orthognathic patients look to the Internet to supplement information regarding their proposed treatment. This may suggest a possible gap in the provision of information by health care professionals. However, it is clear that patients use Internet forums to seek additional information, support, and reassurance from peers undergoing similar treatment. Therefore, there is a need for clinicians to ensure that patients have access and are guided to appropriate and relevant Internet resources.
authors.affiliation: Specialty registrar in orthodontics, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, United Kingdom, postgraduate student, King's College London, Dental Institute, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: g.bhamrah@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Gurprit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhamrah
authors.affiliation: Consultant orthodontist, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, United Kingdom, consultant orthodontist, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, honorary senior specialist teacher, King's College London, Dental Institute, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Research psychologist, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: NiMhurchadha
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D001294:Attitude to Health; D057218:Blogging; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D004487:Edema / Q000523:psychology; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000523:psychology; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000523:psychology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D020127:Recovery of Function; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome