What is Health-Related Virtual Communities

The chapter describes and analyses health-related virtual communities, which soon found their diffusion on the Internet. The chapter mainly focuses on those communities whose members are primarily or exclusively patients, exchanging online information and support, on a peer-to-peer base. It analyses their peculiarities, showing how they match users profile, desired and needs, providing them several benefits, despite initial concerns about their growth. Besides, the chapter identifies the nature and motives of the daily exchange happening among health related virtual communities members, and the peculiarities of their text-based communication, in terms of contents and style. In the last part, some implications for health organizations are identified.