Social media and health: Social support and social capital on pregnancy-related social networking sites

A large number of Americans search the Internet for health information. Moreover, Internet users are no longer solely passive consumers of online health content, but they are also active producers as well. Social media, such as social networking sites, are online communities where patients can pool their knowledge and experience to manage their health care more confidently. However, little is known about the impact of participation on these kinds of sites. This dissertation used three methodologies to explore the health-related impact of these sites. First, a content analysis was conducted with a sample of 572 support-seeking messages and 1,965 support-providing messages from two sites during one month. Members were largely American, Caucasian, and married. They sought information on a range of health topics, but especially issues related to the beginning and end of pregnancy. Further, informational support and emotional support were most in demand. Second, using survey data collected from 114 pregnant members of these sites, this dissertation tested whether participation was associated with health outcomes. The survey also compared the impact that perceptions of social support and social capital had on outcomes such as prenatal knowledge, attitudes, and health behaviors. Results show that members who provided more support tended to be the most influenced by their participation on the site. Further, social support was associated with more attitudinal outcomes than was social capital, suggesting some experiential differences in these constructs. Third, a social network analysis compared social network metrics with survey scales of social support and social capital. The results showed that social network metrics were correlated more with social support, suggesting further differences between these constructs. Social network analysis also suggested that there was a hierarchy of social support wherein the network disintegrated (it became more decentralized and less dense with fewer members) as the demands of the support provision increased. Social network analysis also supported the findings of the content analysis in illustrating that this was a weak tie network that largely exchanged informational support. The implications of these and other findings and directions for future research are discussed.