The determinants of help-seeking behaviors among cancer patients in online health communities: Evidence from China

Objective: Although online health communities offer a new approach to patient interaction, the help-seeking behaviors of cancer patients within these platforms remain unexplored. This study aims to identify the determinants influencing online help-seeking behaviors among cancer patients. Method: Based on motivation theory, we proposed six hypotheses and developed a research model. Data were collected from 1100 cancer patients who sought help in a leading Chinese online cancer community in March, June, and September 2023. We used the fixed-effect negative binomial model to test research hypotheses. Results: The findings indicated that the time since diagnosis (beta = -0.127, P < 0.001) was negatively associated with online help-seeking behaviors among cancer patients. In contrast, social support (beta = 0.002, P = 0.003) and disease stigma (beta = 0.170, P < 0.001) positively influenced their help-seeking behaviors in online health communities. Furthermore, while male and female cancer patients showed decreased help-seeking behaviors as time since diagnosis increased, the decline was less pronounced for females (beta = 0.040, P < 0.001). The positive impact of disease stigma on help-seeking behaviors is stronger for female patients than male patients (beta = 0.098, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This research broadens the understanding of how cancer patients seek help in digital environments and enhances theoretical insights into these behaviors.