2 research outputs found
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Fulfilling information needs of online patients using domain knowledge in online health communities
Background: Online health communities (OHCs) experience difficulties in utilizing patient-reported posts to fulfill the information needs of online patients concerning healthrelated issues. Objectives: We aim to propose a comprehensive method that leverages medical domain knowledge to extract useful information from posts to fulfill information needs of online patients. Methods: A knowledge representation framework based on authoritative knowledge sources in the medical field for the OHC is proposed. On the basis of the framework, a health-related information extraction process for analyzing the posts in the OHC is proposed. Then, knowledge support rate (KSR) and effective information rate (EIR) are introduced as metrics to evaluate changes in knowledge extracted from the knowledge sources in terms of fulfilling the information needs of patients in the OHC. Results: On the basis of a dataset with 372,343 posts in an OHC, experimental results indicate that our method effectively extracts relevant knowledge for online patients. Moreover, KSR and EIR are feasible metrics of changes in knowledge in terms of fulfilling the information needs. Conclusions: The OHCs effectively fulfill the information needs of patients by utilizing authoritative domain knowledge in the medical field. Knowledge-based services for online patients facilitate an intelligent OHC in the future
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Investigating and Supporting Sensemaking within Online Health Communities
This dissertation focuses on understanding and supporting individual and collective sensemaking within online health communities (OHCs). This major goal was achieved in three aims. In Aim 1, this dissertation contributes a rich descriptive account of collective sensemaking in OHCs forums by describing how it occurs and develops, what triggers it, what elements constitute collective construction of meaning, and what conversational moves positively contribute to this process. Further, it describes how collective sensemaking in OHCs is impacted by the interplay between informational and socio-emotional needs of OHCs members. Moreover, it examines how design of different social computing platforms influences OHCs members’ ability to meet their informational and socio-emotional needs and engage in collective sensemaking. In Aim 2, this dissertation explores the design space of tools for supporting individual sensemaking through optimized information access. Through the design and evaluation of a prototype DisVis it examines the impact of such tools on OHCs members’ ability to understand information within discussion threads. In the final Aim 3, this dissertation proposes a novel approach for meeting the three main needs identified in Aims 1 and 2: promoting individual sensemaking, while at the same time encouraging collective sensemaking, and facilitating development of social awareness and ties among community members. The design and evaluation of the novel solution for visualizing discussion threads that synergistically addresses these three needs—dSense—provides insights for future research and design of interactive solutions for supporting individual and collective sensemaking within OHCs