ArticleDigital health
Online peer to peer support: Qualitative analysis of UK and US open mental health Facebook groups.
Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Social Media Use for Health Purposes: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Predictors of Use and Drop Out From a Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program and Health Community for Depression and Anxiety in Primary Care Patients: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2024Trial
- Impact of patient support group on middle-aged recreational and competitive athletes with aortic disease.European journal of preventive cardiology · 2026Article
- Social media groups could foster mental health self-efficacy through social identification.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Effectiveness and Experiences of Online Mental Health Peer Support for Young People: Systematic Scoping Review.JMIR mental health · 2026Review
- Barriers and Facilitators to User Engagement and Moderation for Web-Based Peer Support Among Young People: Qualitative Study Using the Behavior Change Wheel Framework.JMIR human factors · 2025Article
- Scrolling for support: informational, emotional, and social support in adult ADHD Facebook groups.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Cancer advocacy, barriers and associated factors among adolescents and young adults with cancer in Africa.Ecancermedicalscience · 2025Article
- Exploring Trade-Offs for Online Mental Health Matching: Agent-Based Modeling Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Best Practices for Designing and Testing Behavioral and Health Communication Interventions for Delivery in Private Facebook Groups: Tutorial.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- User Engagement in an Online Digital Health Intervention to Promote Problem Solving.Interacting with computers · 2024Article
- Beta Test of a Christian Faith-Based Facebook Intervention for Smoking Cessation in Rural Communities (FaithCore): Development and Usability Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Digital mental health and peer support: Building a Theory of Change informed by stakeholders' perspectives.PLOS digital health · 2024Article
- Exploring the urgent need for an online reproductive health education program for infertile couples: A qualitative study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
- "There's always something, and then there's more": a qualitative examination of how virtual peer led self-management can create community around the evolving SCI experience.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2024Article
- Article
- Experiences of Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Use of Reliever Inhalers in Patients With Asthma and Concurrent Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction or Breathing Pattern Disorder: Qualitative Analysis of a UK Asthma Online Community.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- From Social Network to Peer Support Network: Opportunities to Explore Mechanisms of Online Peer Support for Mental Health.JMIR mental health · 2023Article
- Meeting the Unmet Needs of Individuals With Mental Disorders: Scoping Review on Peer-to-Peer Web-Based Interactions.JMIR mental health · 2022Article
- Media Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis research aimed to gain further understanding of how open Facebook groups are used for online peer to peer support and identify any similarities and/or differences between UK and US groups.
methodA systematic search of mental health related open Facebook groups was conducted using relevant key words. The posts from 14 UK and 11 US groups were acquired over a three month period and content thematically analysed using Nvivo.
resultsFindings support previous research which evidences that online peer to peer support is beneficial for users seeking mental health information. Said support can increase feelings of connectedness, reduce feelings of isolation, and provide a platform for comparison of perspectives relating to personal experiences. Group membership may offer hope and increase feelings of empowerment in those using Facebook groups as a support mechanism. There was similar discourse seen throughout both UK and US posts in regards to gender inequality, lack of awareness and stigmatisation.
conclusionsThe study highlights the positive impact of shared personal experiences, and offers a greater understanding of the benefits of online peer to peer support for mental health and wellbeing. There is evidence that, whilst mental health is becoming a more widely discussed topic, in both the UK and US, it remains negatively perceived. Questions are posed for group administrators and health professionals relating to their utilisation and moderation of such online peer to peer support networks.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.