Online Health Communities for Prenatal and Perinatal Women: A Consumption Value Theory Perspective of Users

The advancement in information technologies and the emergence of online communities have considerably influenced the communication channels among patients, non-patients and health care providers. The evolution of these technologies has led to the phenomenal growth of Online Health Communities (OHCs) globally. The rising interest in participation in online health communities of pregnant women and mothers has become a central theme to healthcare. This innovation is considered to be phenomenal as it provides an opportunity for women from different geographical backgrounds to share varying experiences and support. This study will leverage the Consumption Value Theory to understand crucial factors that influence prenatal and perinatal women’s intent to join online health communities. The study will adopt a purposive sampling technique to recruit participants. An online survey that is Google forms will be used for the data collection. Data analysis will be conducted using a two-step approach for structural equation modelling (SEM). This study intends to contribute to the evolving research stream on prenatal and perinatal women intention to join online health communities