Connectedness and support in online ana-mia social networks

IntroductionData and methods

FindingsConclusions

Connectedness and support in online ana-miasocial networks

Antonio A. Casilli1 Sylvan Lemaire2 Lise Mounier2 PaolaTubaro2 3

1TELECOM ParisTech and CEM/EHESS, Paris2CMH/CNRS, Paris

3University of Greenwich, London

Sunbelt XXXII, 18 March 2012

Casilli, Lemaire, Mounier, Tubaro Connectedness and support in online ana-mia social networks


FindingsConclusions

Understanding ana-mia communitiesA social networks approach

The ana-mia Internet phenomenon

”Pro-ana”? Controversialwebsites of persons withanorexia and bulimianervosa.A challenge for medicaldiscourse or support forED sufferers?Medicine 2.0: frommedical informatics toautonomous patientcommunities.



FindingsConclusions






FindingsConclusions






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Our study ANAMIA

Social networks approach to“ana-mia” sociability.Research questions:

RQ1: Is there any displacementeffect between the online and offlineties of persons with eating disorders?RQ2: Do online ties offer distinctsources of support?RQ3: Does online support-seekingindicate rejection of professionalhealthcare?



FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey

Interrogating ana-mia subjects

Web-based survey with graphicalego network applet;Target users of eatingdisorder-related websites, forums,blogs etc.;Questions on online and offlinepersonal networks, andhealth-related support network;Subsequent in-depth interview for asub-sample of respondents.



FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey

Questionnaire and network applets

Questionnaire about:Basic socio-economic indicators;IT usage;Health, weight, and body image.

Two real-time visualisation tools to elicit social network ties:NTK 1: Ties in offline personal network (family, friends,schoolmates etc.);NTK 2: Ties in online interactions (email, MSN, forums,blogs).

NTK 3: which of the named contacts are mobilised for healthsupport.



FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey







FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey







FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey

Some personal networks

Figure: Examples of NTK 1 and NTK 2 ego networks drawn by participants.



FindingsConclusions

Web-based survey

Which of these ties matter for health?

Finally, we randomly allocate respondents to two groups:1) serious health condition scenario2) mundane issue scenario

Choose from among the list of contacts already mentioned(offline and online) + add new names.



FindingsConclusions

SampleA displacement effect?When are online ties activated?Do online communities substitute for healthcare?

Sample

136 questionnaires completed in the French ana-mia sphere:Overwhelmingly females, average age 22, 65% students;heavy Internet users;Average BMI 20.24, with 34% underweight; 10% overweight.Eating disorders: 16% AN; 26% BN; 7% BE; 29% EDNOS;14% mixed forms.30% are currently under treatment, 44% were treated in thepast.

22 in-depth interviews, females, 19-28 years old.



FindingsConclusions


RQ1: is there a displacement effect?

Figure: Number of alters mentioned in Network 1, Network 2, both Network 1 and Network 2, and introduced inthe scenarios questions.



FindingsConclusions


RQ1: is there a displacement effect? (cont.)

No evidence of a ”displacement effect”, or of online tiesreplacing sociability in real life;More than half (56 %) of ties of persons with eating disordersare offline;And there is a substantial intersection between the twonetworks (12 %), indicating continuity between the online andoffline spheres.



FindingsConclusions


RQ2: When are online ties activated?

Figure: Number of alters named in the scenarios questions, and overlap with Network 1 (offline) and Network 2(online).



FindingsConclusions


RQ2: When are online ties activated? (cont.)

Offline ties are most likely to be activated for health problems;This is all the more so as problems are serious (60 %);Online ties are more likely to be activated for minor issues(33.5 %).

⇒ With major health problems, tendency to seek a wider range ofcompetencies, sources of information and resources.



FindingsConclusions


RQ3: Do online communities substitute for professionalcare?

Figure: Choice of offline or online supporters for the two scenario questions, depending on whether the respondentis or was under treatment.



FindingsConclusions


RQ3: Do online communities substitute for professionalcare? (cont.)

Those who are not under treatment are more likely to seeksupport online, especially for minor issues;In France, health insurance is universally available: why isthere no treatment in some cases?

patient’s refusal;unavailable appropriate care (e.g. lack of eating-disorderservices in a rural area).

Interviews suggest the second possibility is more likely.

⇒ Reliance on online ties compensates for deficient healthcarerather than opposing clinical views.



FindingsConclusions

Conclusions

Online ana-mia communities are not a threat to socialcohesion⇒ They rely and build on existing ties (family, schoolfriendsetc.).

Online ana-mia communities are not an alternative toMedicine 1.0⇒ They rather compensate for the limitations of professionalhealthcare.



FindingsConclusions

Acknowledgements

We thank the French Agency for NationalResearch (ANR) that has funded the projectANAMIA under grant agreement n.ANR-09-ALIA-001.

Contact information:[email protected],[email protected]


Education

Connectedness and support in online ana-mia social networks