Loick Menvielle

Do online health communities enhance patient–physician relationship? An assessment of the impact of social support and patient empowerment:

The diffusion of the Web 2.0 has made it possible for patients to exchange on online health communities, defined as computer-mediated communities dedicated to health topics, wherein members can build relationships with other members. It is now acknowledged that online health communities provide users not only with medical information but also with social support with no time or geographical boundaries. However, in spite of their considerable interest, there is still a paucity of research as to how online health communities alter the patient–physician relationship. This research aims at filling this gap and examines how online health communities, while providing users with computer-mediated social support and empowerment, impact the patient–physician relationship. Six hypotheses are proposed and tested. A survey was developed and 328 responses were collected from online patient groups in Canada in 2016. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. All but one hypothesis are validated. The results show that user computer-mediated social support positively influences user empowerment and participation during the consultation, which in turn determines user commitment to the relationship with the physician. Importantly and contrary to our expectations, user empowerment is found to be significantly but negatively related to user commitment with the physician.

Patient Communities: A New Paradigm for Medicine

This preliminary research investigates the effects of health-care information delivered and shared on Internet through online health communities on patient–physician relationships and patients’ attitude toward their physician. To do so, we carried out a survey on e-health communities’ members. Our results highlight that members who frequently visit online health communities have shown a higher trust toward their physician than other members. Additionally, our data enhance that the members suffering from a chronic disease perceive they have a better relationship with their physician and a higher trust toward their physician than the others.

Développement durable et santé publique. Vers un nouveau modèle d'une santé égalitaire ?

Les reformes du secteur hospitalier remettent en cause les principes memes du systeme de sante publique, donc l’objectif est l’amelioration du bien-etre social. Deux logiques s’affrontent quant a l’etablissement d’une sante equitable, l’une axee sur le maintien du principe de service public, et l’autre sur une allocation efficiente des ressources, notamment financieres. Nous montrerons que le developpement durable, applique au secteur hospitalier ou l’ethique joue un role preponderant, permet de reconcilier ces deux logiques.