Motivations in virtual health communities and their relationship to community, connectedness and stress

This study explores the relationships between motivations for joining virtual health communities, online behaviors, and psycho-social outcomes. A sample of 144 women from two virtual health communities focusing on infertility completed survey measures assessing motivations, posting and receiving support, connectedness, community, and stress. Our results indicate that socio-emotional support motivations for joining the community were associated with posting support within the virtual community, while informational motivations were related to receiving support. Further, receiving support was associated with greater sense of virtual community as well as more general feelings of connectedness, which was related to less stress. Implications for virtual health community research are discussed.

► We surveyed two virtual health communities of women experiencing infertility. ► Socio-emotional support motivations are associated with posting support. ► Informational motivations are associated with receiving support. ► Receiving support correlates with sense of virtual community and connectedness. ► Connectedness predicted lower perceived stress.