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Can online social networking improve the health and wellbeing of those suffering from Long Term Conditions?
BusinessLab and its ActiveAge partners intend to explore the proposition that social networking offers sufferers of Long Term Conditions (LTC's), and other stakeholders in their wellbeing, significant benefits. The discussion that follows explains the reasoning behind this and explores a possible solution.
"People in vulnerable situations are often more at risk of mental health problems. For example, older people who live at home can suffer from loneliness and depression, as can people who are ill or have disabilities" (Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A new direction for community services, DH)
Statements such as the above are supported by research documents like Your Care, Your Health, Your Say (Jan 2006) published by The Department of Health. This report highlights the opinions of real people voicing their desire for better community-based health and social care and concerns about isolation and loneliness. It shows the results of the biggest research-based listening exercise to take place in England.
Within the report there is specific reference to the needs of those suffering from LTC's. There was "widespread support for improving services to people with LTC's (e.g. diabetes, asthma, arthritis, etc) to enable them to live independently and with dignity" . Many of those living with a LTC felt they lacked "information about both their condition and health and social care service".
LTCs include, "chronic diseases, physical and learning disabilities and enduring mental health problems" . Over 17.5 million adults in the UK are said to be living with a LTC and three quarters of people over the age of seventy-five are estimated to live with a LTC. Long term can mean conditions that patient's have for life, such as diabetes or asthma, and conditions where care is needed over many years. Elderly people who need ongoing support to live an independent life can also be included as sufferers . The problem is heightened when we consider that as the population continues to age, the incidence of LTC's will dramatically rise and is expected to double over the next 25 years .
Furthermore one of the top three priorities identified by the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say Report, for what people wanted the Government to do to improve community based health and social care was: "To ensure greater focus on mental wellbeing, isolation and depression"
Loneliness and Physical Health
The consequence of loneliness for our health has been a topic of conversation and study for years. In 1977 US Psychologist James Lynch wrote, The Broken Heart, about what happens in society when we don't share our thoughts, hopes and feelings with others. He boldly claimed,"We must either live together or face the possibility of prematurely dying alone". More recently researchers at Ohio State University led by John Cacioppo have been looking into a list of medical ailments linked to loneliness. Cacioppo was interviewed in March 2008 for an article in the Financial Times, which states, "Living alone is a risk factor for recurrent heart attacks and death from cardiac causes, and lonely people don't sleep well. Last year it emerged that people who are lonely in old age are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as their socially active counterparts" .
Although there has been little research into the affect of online networks in alleviating loneliness it seems likely such networks can provide benefits for those, otherwise unable to socialise or finding it hard due to a lack of mobility. In our opinion this might include people suffering from LTC's or other illnesses. By creating an environment where individuals can go to share their experiences with others, who have similar problems, this may help them feel less isolated and lonely.
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