By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    mosquito misting spray to fight malaria
    Avoid Malaria with Mosquito Misting Systems
    June 12, 2023
    Medical Surveys
    Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
    September 23, 2023
    Glutathione
    What Are The Benefits of Glutathione?
    January 22, 2024
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Tips for Older Travelers
    April 14, 2012
    Anti-RUC Suit Challenges Process for Setting Doc Pay Scales
    October 25, 2011
    Math Matters: Dosing Errors Can Be Deadly
    May 1, 2012
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Online Communities & Attrition from Health Intervention Programs
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Online Communities & Attrition from Health Intervention Programs
Public HealthSocial Media

Online Communities & Attrition from Health Intervention Programs

GlennLaffel
GlennLaffel
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Provider-centric, face-to-face health intervention programs that help people quit smoking, lose weight and increase activity levels have been shown to work, but they are expensive, don’t scale, and inconvenient. By contrast, Internet-based programs with similar goals can be disseminated widely and inexpensively, and can be accessed by consumers at a convenient time and place.

Provider-centric, face-to-face health intervention programs that help people quit smoking, lose weight and increase activity levels have been shown to work, but they are expensive, don’t scale, and inconvenient. By contrast, Internet-based programs with similar goals can be disseminated widely and inexpensively, and can be accessed by consumers at a convenient time and place.

onlinecommunity1 150x142 Online Communities & Attrition from Health Intervention ProgramsAlthough many of the latter programs have been shown in clinical trial settings to be efficacious, attempts to commercialize them have been plagued by attrition. People stop using the programs because they lose motivation, can’t find the time, or become frustrated by clunky interfaces and data entry requirements.

In one study for example, only 26% of participants in a randomized trial of a free physical activity website dropped out of the study before it was completed, whereas 67% of registered open access users dropped out during the same course of time. The open access users also spent less time on the site.

More Read

doctor guilds
Do All of Us Really Have to Change?
State Medical Boards Address Inappropriate Online Physician Behaviors
Colonic Hydrotherapy and Colon Cleansing
A 12-Point Checklist For Healthcare Web Content Management
Zyrtec’s Healthcare Social Media Campaign

The lower attrition rate in the trial was likely driven by the emotional, cognitive and logistic support provided by trial personnel. It follows that the commercial success of online health intervention programs hinges on their ability to support users in the same way as trained personnel do in clinical trial settings.

Online communities have been proposed for this purpose. These tools permit users to communicate via the posting and reading of messages on a group message board. Social learning theory suggests they can reduce attrition by favorably impacting motivation to change, helping users learn vicariously and gain inspiration, and providing content that encourages users to return to the site.

Recently, a study by Caroline Richardson and colleagues at the University of Michigan showed in fact that an online community associated with an Internet-mediated walking program did reduce attrition.

Richardson’s group randomized 324 sedentary adults into 2 groups. Both groups were granted access to a Web-based walking program that required them to wear pedometers for 16 weeks and upload step-count data to a server. All participants could also view graphs of their progress and receive individually-tailored motivational messages. Participants who were randomized to the “online community” group had, in addition, access to online community features embedded in their intervention webpage, enabling them to post and view messages left by other participants. Those in the “no online community” group were not granted access to these features. 
 
The scientists found that participants randomized to the online community arm were quite active: 65% of them used it, either as posters or lurkers.

As for attrition, it turned out that 79% of participants in the online community arm completed the program, whereas significantly fewer, 66% of those in the no online community arm completed it. In short, the online community reduced attrition by nearly 20%. Participants with access to the online community also engaged the program longer and uploaded valid pedometer data more frequently than those without access to the online community. Interestingly however, both groups increased their average daily step counts to the same extent during the program.

What Can We Make of This?
These results support the premise that online communities can reduce attrition from Internet-based wellness programs, particularly among people who have low perceived social support for behavior change. Posts that describe how people overcame obstacles, provide empathic support people who are grappling with these obstacles, or that celebrate success really do keep folks  engaged.

There is a small problem though. Although online communities are less expensive and more easily scalable than traditional face-to-face support, it remains a difficult, and yes, an expensive challenge to implement and maintain them.

Previous studies of online communities had shown them to be plagued by low utilization, a phenomenon that limited their effectiveness as tools to positively impact health outcomes. To combat this problem, research staff affiliated with Richardson’s group posted their own self-introductions and open-ended questions designed to boost member participation. They directed participants to other aspects of the intervention and organized small contests to maintain interest. They endeavored to post responses to all participants’ posts within 24 hours. The scientists stated in their write-up that such interventions ‘were necessary to test the effectiveness of an active online community.’

Size does matter when it comes to online communities. If they’re big, dynamic and vibrant, they are an asset. But there is a pricetag associated with the implementation and maintenance of a community with these attributes. Attempts to commercialize internet-based behavior change programs must plan for this. And let’s not forget, this trial lasted only 4 months.

TAGGED:online communitiessocial media
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Facebook Update for Healthcare [PODCAST]

November 3, 2014
Call BHM today for a complimentary consultation 1-888-831-1171
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Dual-Eligibility: An Overworked and Overlooked Population?

April 9, 2014

Bone Density Tests – Too Many Not a Good Thing

March 17, 2012
HIMSS recap
Public HealthTechnology

HIMSS Privacy and Security Forum: Managing Social Media While Protecting Privacy and Security

September 12, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?