Knowledge Sharing in Online Cancer Survivorship Community System: A Theoretical Framework

摘要

Innovative uses of technology to support patient to patient or patient to clinician knowledge sharing are emerging through professional health institutions and communities that take advantage of social networking technologies. Although successful online health communities exist, many such communities do fail. Researchers have stated that the reason for these failures is due to the lack of evidence-based, scientific guidance in building and managing online communities. Knowledge sharing among participants is important for the survival of online health communities. The most difficult and challenging task for online health communities is to understand why certain participants share knowledge in a sustained manner while others do not. The purpose of this study is to identify the conditions that will predict and prescribe a successful online health community. We propose a theoretical model that presents computer self-efficacy, system capabilities, patient characteristics, appropriation support as determinants of knowledge sharing. We also propose that knowledge sharing affects satisfaction, and frequent usage of online health community networks within online cancer survivorship community.