Exploring Motivations for Using Online Patients Community and Its Effects on Patients' Health Outcomes

Based on use and gratification theory (U&G) and existing literature on health empowerment and health literacy, a research model was established to explore patients' motivations for using online patients community and its effect on their health outcomes. To validate our model, an online survey was conducted in tianinificryuan, one of the largest online patients community in China, and 280 valid questionnaires were collected. By using Smart P1S3.0 for data analysis, we got the following results:(1)Utilitarian gratifications (information seeking, information documentation), social gratifications (social support, social interaction), and technology motivation (convenience) are all critical antecedents for patients to use online patients community, but the motivation of information sharing is not significant factor for patients to use online patients community; (2) Using online patients community can benefit patients by improving their health outcomes such as health literacy and health empowerment(3) Gender has an important moderating effect in patients' use of online patients community. Our research findings not only explain why patient users choose to use online patients community from an intrinsic mechanism(motivations) but also reveal the social value of online patients community by empirically confirming that it can improve the health outcomes of patients. The results of this study may provide both theoretical implications for future research and practical implications for operators of online patients community.