https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6719-5090
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ABSTRACT
Background: People are increasingly turning to online communities, such as message boards, for health decision making. Isotretinoin (Accutane), an acne medication, was one of the most discussed message board topics among young adults in a recent large-scale analysis. While the use of message boards for health purposes is ubiquitous, research analyzing the content through theoretical lenses is less so. This study seeks to help close a gap in health communication literature by analyzing message board content through the lens of the health belief model (HBM). The results may provide a better understanding of how a health behavior theory that was developed well before the internet is relevant and constructed in online contexts.
Method: We coded isotretinoin-related posts (N = 752 posts) on two well-known online communities, Acne.org and Reddit.com using HBM-informed content analysis.
Results: The majority of the content was associated with isotretinoin’s benefits, barriers, and related self-efficacy. Acne.org users tended to discuss perceived susceptibility and cues to action while Reddit.com users tended to discuss perceived benefits and self-efficacy. One concerning finding was the frequency of accessibility of isotretinoin from non-prescribers that was discussed in the context of a cue to action.
Conclusions: The findings reflect discussion board users’ lack of awareness of isotretinoin’s serious side effects, a high expectation toward the medication’s benefits, and encouragement of the medication’s use. Since research indicates that benefits and barriers are often the strongest predictors within the HBM, high perceived benefits and low perceived barriers may lead board users to misuse isotretinoin, especially when ease of accessibility from non-prescribers was discussed.
Ethical approval
Since this study did not involve human subjects, IRB approval was not required.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Karikarn Chansiri, a doctoral student in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, focuses on the roles of cognitive psychological factors in the relationship between exposure to social media and health-related attitudes and behaviors. She has examined the effects of exposure to idealized media images on female college students' sexual intention, the roles of body dissatisfaction and social comparison in the relationship between media consumption and eating and exercising behaviors, and body image perceptions of virtual world users. Experimental designs and structural equation modeling are her areas of expertise.
Thipkanok Wongphothiphan, a doctoral student in Media Studies program at the University of Oregon, targets on media effects in health-related behavior promotion. She has explored the role of body dissatisfaction as a mediator between the relationship of media exposure and risky sexual behaviors. She is also interested in the effectiveness of message elements, particularly visual cues, in promoting health-related behaviors.
Autumn Shafer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, seeks to address important social, theoretical, and practical issues related to public health promotion and social issues advocacy.
ORCID
Thipkanok Wongphothiphan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6719-5090