Women's views about online communities for gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative interview study

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 NURSING

Midwifery Pub Date : 2024-12-31 DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2024.104280

Sheila Pham , Kate Churruca , Louise A. Ellis , Jeffrey Braithwaite

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Problem and background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, and the emerging evidence demonstrates how GDM online communities have a positive impact on promoting self-management and improving outcomes. Further analysis of such groups can increase understanding of how peer support in GDM online communities is enabled and enacted.

Aim

To examine women's experiences of GDM online communities on Facebook, their motivations for participation, and perceptions of dynamics within the community.

Methods

Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 28 participants, recruited from an online survey posted in two self-organised Australian GDM Facebook groups.

Results

From our thematic analysis of the interview data, four themes were identified from participants’ views about GDM online communities: ‘A safe community’ encapsulated a desire to be connected with others having similar experiences in a non-judgmental space; ‘A supportive and informative group’ concerned the need for, and giving of, support, and gaining knowledge; ‘An adjunct to healthcare’ referred to participants’ use of GDM online communities to inform their healthcare experiences; and ‘A waiting room’ reflected participants’ continued involvement in GDM online communities, in part due to future uncertainty.

Discussion and Conclusion

Our findings affirm the value of GDM online communities on Facebook for community, support and information. GDM online communities serve as an adjunct to formal healthcare, augmenting clinic-based appointments and clinical management of GDM, encouraging informed decision-making and self-advocacy. We highlight how, in such spaces, women collaboratively navigate self-management and healthcare.

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来源期刊

Midwifery 医学-护理

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

221

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Midwifery publishes the latest peer reviewed international research to inform the safety, quality, outcomes and experiences of pregnancy, birth and maternity care for childbearing women, their babies and families. The journal’s publications support midwives and maternity care providers to explore and develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes informed by best available evidence. Midwifery provides an international, interdisciplinary forum for the publication, dissemination and discussion of advances in evidence, controversies and current research, and promotes continuing education through publication of systematic and other scholarly reviews and updates. Midwifery articles cover the cultural, clinical, psycho-social, sociological, epidemiological, education, managerial, workforce, organizational and technological areas of practice in preconception, maternal and infant care. The journal welcomes the highest quality scholarly research that employs rigorous methodology. Midwifery is a leading international journal in midwifery and maternal health with a current impact factor of 1.861 (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2016) and employs a double-blind peer review process.