Output details

The use of weblogs within palliative care: A systematic literature review

<28> Significance:

The use of weblogs has had a huge impact within the healthcare sector, and palliative care users have found a way to express themselves using this technology. This article systematically reviewed current research on palliative care service users’ experience of using weblogs. The significance of this work is further discussed below.

Research process / content (original research or new insights):

This output is strongly underpinned by Ngwenya’s PhD thesis, supervised by Mills, which concluded that weblogs can be beneficial for patients through generating therapeutic benefits as well as the interchange of knowledge. An additional feature found in this research was the generating of communities in which members support each other through their illnesses.

Post-doctorally for Ngwenya, the authors undertook this systematic review as the first stage of studying the interventions of weblogs with palliative care users. From an initial selection of 80 abstracts in electronic databases, both authors, working independently, identified which full papers should be considered. These were then discussed fully as a team and, from these full articles, only six were deemed to have met the criteria for inclusion, thus highlighting the paucity of relevant research in this area.

The conclusions confirmed that of the original (PhD) research that blogging is therapeutic for those in palliative care but added that the social connectivity and support received through blogging can be beneficial, especially for those isolated geographically. In addition, the review also found that empowerment of sufferers and the sharing of information led to behavioural changes, such as a healthier diet. Further insights included acceptance of the illness through open expression of feelings thus supporting models of grief such as that of Kubler-Ross and the lack of scientific (medical) knowledge and robust evidence for these health benefits.