Knowledge Contribution in Online Patient to Patient Health Care Communities

In recent years online health communities have emerged as an alternate source of health information for patients. By allowing patients to connect directly with each other these communities provide an easier and more readily accessible means for attaining health information. Yet the continued growth and prosperity of online health communities is contingent on their members being open and willing to share their personal information. Given the sensitive nature of health information it is important to understand the mechanisms supporting the sharing of such information in online health communities. Previous work has identified determinants of knowledge contribution in online communities. This paper discusses research in progress to assess if the determinants of knowledge exchange in online communities remain the same in the health care context. By replicating a study by Ma & Agarwal we hope to shed light on the dynamics of knowledge contribution in online health communities