SHGs

Self-help groups have long offered the company and information for people dealing with illnesses or disabilities, and online groups have expanded to offer support to people from various circumstances of life, especially those related to relationships personal and cultural.

Several online formats has allowed the development of both groups, where individuals can exchange messages in real time, where members are not necessarily simultaneously connected to the network can read and exchange messages. E-mail, social networks, forums ... communication methods for self-help peer-to-peer between groups and support groups.

A researcher from the University College London said the lack of quality directories, and the fact that many self-help groups are not listed in search engines may hinder the search for a suitable group. Even so, says the medical community needs "to understand the use of personal experience rather than an evidence-based approach ... these groups also have an impact on how people use information that can help people learn how to find and use information:. For example, users of the Web sites of exchange and discuss Web sites. "

It is difficult to find a support group online, but it is difficult to find a good one. In the article What search support groups online quality, John M. Grohol offers tips for evaluating online groups and says:. "In good online support groups, members stay long after they have been seeking support because they want to stay other than they are in the group. Psychologists call this group cohesion high, and is the pinnacle of the achievements of the group. "

Several studies have demonstrated the importance of the Internet in providing social support, particularly to groups with chronic health problems. Especially in cases of rare diseases, a sense of community and understanding despite the large geographical distances can be significant, in addition to knowledge sharing.,

Self-help groups, online communities for those affected by a common problem, mutual support and provide information, often two inseparable aspects. These are, according to Henry Potts, of University College London, "a great resource for patients. "Many studies have analyzed the content of messages, while what matters is the effect of participation in the group over the individual. Potts complains that research on these groups has lagged behind, especially in groups are created by people with problems, rather than by researchers and health professionals. Self-help groups defined by the user can share the kind of practical knowledge that health professionals can ignore, and also influence how people to find, interpret and use information.

Marc D. Feldman of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has warned about the sympathy-seekers who invade Internet self-help groups.