The Advantages of Health Blog Reading
Research using 2 experimental blogs showed that reading a blog excerpt influenced intentions to take future preventative health actions. Specifically, both personal narrative and statistical cancer blogs led to higher intentions than a control condition. However, readers’ perceptions of their disease risk did not impact the relationship between blog type and health intentions.
1. Educates Patients
The information posted on health blogs enables readers to learn about illnesses and treatment options that they would otherwise not have known. This makes them an effective tool for education and motivation. Health bloggers can also help readers to understand the nature of their illness and the impact it has on those around them. This information can provide reassurance and support to patients who may feel isolated from others due to their condition. Better is to visit this site right here or visit our official website to know about Health Blog.
A blog can also help readers to identify and address the barriers that might stand in their way of taking preventative action. The results from one study indicated that reading a patient blog increases intention to take some preventative health actions, and this effect is not mediated by perceived barriers or by perceptions of disease susceptibility or severity. A second study replicated these findings using a different sample and added a control condition, this time including a non-blog. Participants were asked to evaluate the blog and report intentions for future preventative health actions, as well as to complete measures of their evaluation of disease risk beliefs and locus of control.
2. Builds a Relationship
Several studies show that patient blogs can help patients feel connected to others with the same health condition and build a sense of community. The studies also report that patient-created content influences the readers’ intentions to take preventative actions, and that these effects are independent of their perceived susceptibility or severity of the disease.
The researchers surveyed actual self-described medical blog readers using a convenience sample and snowball sampling. Participants were asked to evaluate the excerpts of 3 different types of blogs: a personal narrative, a general cancer story, and a statistics-oriented post that focused on melanoma. The blogs were rated highly by participants in terms of being easy to read, understand, well written, informative, emotional, and interesting. On the individual health intention measures, the blog with statistics led to greater intentions for monitoring skin for melanoma and asking doctors about one’s risk than either of the other 2 blog conditions. However, the results for the second measure were not significant.
1. Educates Patients
The information posted on health blogs enables readers to learn about illnesses and treatment options that they would otherwise not have known. This makes them an effective tool for education and motivation. Health bloggers can also help readers to understand the nature of their illness and the impact it has on those around them. This information can provide reassurance and support to patients who may feel isolated from others due to their condition. Better is to visit this site right here or visit our official website to know about Health Blog.
A blog can also help readers to identify and address the barriers that might stand in their way of taking preventative action. The results from one study indicated that reading a patient blog increases intention to take some preventative health actions, and this effect is not mediated by perceived barriers or by perceptions of disease susceptibility or severity. A second study replicated these findings using a different sample and added a control condition, this time including a non-blog. Participants were asked to evaluate the blog and report intentions for future preventative health actions, as well as to complete measures of their evaluation of disease risk beliefs and locus of control.
2. Builds a Relationship
Several studies show that patient blogs can help patients feel connected to others with the same health condition and build a sense of community. The studies also report that patient-created content influences the readers’ intentions to take preventative actions, and that these effects are independent of their perceived susceptibility or severity of the disease.
The researchers surveyed actual self-described medical blog readers using a convenience sample and snowball sampling. Participants were asked to evaluate the excerpts of 3 different types of blogs: a personal narrative, a general cancer story, and a statistics-oriented post that focused on melanoma. The blogs were rated highly by participants in terms of being easy to read, understand, well written, informative, emotional, and interesting. On the individual health intention measures, the blog with statistics led to greater intentions for monitoring skin for melanoma and asking doctors about one’s risk than either of the other 2 blog conditions. However, the results for the second measure were not significant.
3. Increases Awareness
Many patients keep medical blogs to document their health experiences, maintain a sense of community and belonging, find support, and explore their own emotions. [2] But few studies have focused on the readers of these blogs. A recent nonexperimental study surveyed self-described readers of medical blogs. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 blog-type conditions (a personal story, a general cancer story, or a statistics condition that included data and information about melanoma) or to a no-blog control condition.
All 3 sample blogs were rated highly as easy to read, understandable, well-written, informative, and emotional. However, only the personal story and the statistics-focused blog were associated with higher health intentions than the no-blog control. Participants who reported taking a preventative action after reading the sample blog cited several reasons. They primarily cited the ability to stay updated on their friend or loved one's condition without imposing on others, learning specific ways they could provide support, and hearing positive news from the patient.
4. Encourages Self-Care
Whether you want to learn something new, break out of boredom or just sharpen your vocabulary, reading is the way to go. When you read, your brain gets to work and creates networks that help keep your mind sharp. Health blogs can be an excellent way to do just that.
Although the vast majority of medical blog readers are a patient or family member, comparatively little research has explored why and how people read these blogs. In 2 experimental studies, we used Qualtrics survey software to randomly assign participants to 3 conditions based on different types of medical blog excerpts: a personal narrative (story), a general cancer story and a statistics condition that included skin cancer data and statistics. We measured both blog evaluations and intentions to take future preventative health actions (including self-monitoring and seeking a skin check). Results showed that reading the statistical blog significantly increased the intention to seek a skin check in comparison with the personal narrative or general cancer story, with no effects of participants’ perceived own risk.
