Students, medicines and performance consumption: online as a sharing space and source of information †

Catarina Egreja 1 and Noémia Lopes 2,*

1   Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz; cegreja@egasmoniz.edu.pt

2   Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz; nlopes@egasmoniz.edu.pt

*   Correspondence: cegreja@egasmoniz.edu.pt

†  Presented at the 5th Congress of CiiEM, Caparica, 16-18 June 2021.

​

Abstract: We aim to reflect on the online as a space to be taken into account in the analysis of sources of information about medicines, as a means of transmitting knowledge and practices among lay people, by presenting results of a content analysis based on material collected from blogs and internet forums, with a focus on students. We conclude that sharing experiences is central to the validation and willingness to use these resources. It is important to consider the consequences that may arise from the widespread use of online as a source of information for therapeutic or performance purposes.

Keywords: Medicines and supplements; online information sources; online sharing; performance enhancement in students

                            

1. Introduction

This exploratory approach reflects on the online as a space that should be taken into account in the analysis of sources of information on medicines, as a means of transmission of knowledge and practices among lay people, considering its potential and limits, by presenting the results of a content analysis based on material collected from blogs and internet forums. Objectively, the focus is on online information exchanges, among students, on the consumption of medicines and natural products, with the purpose of improving the capacity to concentrate and memorize during exams.

Going beyond the notion of the internet as a privileged means to obtain information in the health area, the focus here is directed to the use of forums and blogs. Although this is not a new research theme, its pertinence and topicality merit an analytical deepening.

Previous research concludes that the internet serves as a space for users to gain some expertise about medicines, being able to exchange ideas and ask questions. Users seek, in forums, to collect experiences from other users and peer support in the search for a shared social identity [1,2]; the higher the risk associated with health, the more the interest grows [1]. Online forums are valued because of the anonymity - being able to communicate without fear or worry and choosing how much information to share [3]. The growth of the internet and the increased use of forums means that users now have access to a wider range of views and opinions on the topic [4-5].

2. Materials and Methods

In order to find online information exchange practices on the consumption of medicines and natural products, the research process began by entering keywords into a search engine. We did not intend to explore sites of pharmacies or companies linked to this area, nor to find sources of information that came from experts (doctors, pharmacists...), but rather interactions between Portuguese lay people. These were found in different forums and blogs, where participants sometimes asked questions about issues related to these consumptions.

Next, we collected all the posts and respective comments of interest, which were entered into an analytic grid - and then examined using the Maxqda software - with the following structure: 1) Sharing experiences (results obtained by oneself and others) - Description of symptoms; Therapeutic path (consumption, dosages, reactions...); Request for help / clarification of doubts; 2) Sharing expert knowledge (evocation of medical or other scientific sources) - Description of diagnoses; Description of recommended therapy (medicines, dosages, reactions...); 3) Sharing lay knowledge (evoking learning acquired through experience or through what others do, etc.) - Diagnoses; Reference to the effects of medicines / supplements; Recommendations for consumption (medicines, dosages, how to take); Recommendations for consultation with health professionals / others; Other recommendations.

On the topic of consumption of performance-enhancing medicines and supplements among students, 93 conversation excerpts ranging from March 2015 to October 2020 were analysed.

3. Results and Discussion

The results shows that one of the main reasons for students to use blogs and forums as a source of information is the possibility to share experiences (31.2%). One of the most frequent aspects concerns requests for help, mainly in order to obtain information and clarify doubts. Our analysis also indicates that students seek to know the opinion of their peers regarding the taking of supplements or medication to help them study, in order to obtain some kind of validation. The response to this type of questions generates, in turn, a sharing of their own or other people's experiences, through the account of therapeutic paths (consumption, dosages, and reactions).

However, the dimension of analysis with the highest proportion of content (63.4%) refers to the sharing of lay knowledge. In response to doubts or requests for information, the other participants in these virtual communities take the opportunity to make diagnoses, tell the effects of the medicines or supplements they think they know, or recommend ways of consumption.

Finally, the dimension with the least expression is the sharing of expert knowledge (5.4%). Although this is not a common situation, some people copy information from package leaflets, a reliable site or scientific studies to present the effects and purposes of medicines in an expert way, not based on their personal convictions.

In conclusion, these means of access to information clearly reveal that the sharing of experiences is central to the validation and willingness to resort to such consumption. It is important to reflect on the consequences that may arise from the generalisation of the use of these means as sources of information for therapeutic or performance purposes - not only in the case of students, but more broadly, by the population in general. We believe that the aspects pointed out here justify a deepening of this line of research, also to strengthen current studies on the concept of medication literacy.

Acknowledgments: This work is part of project ConPerLit (PTDC/SOC/30734/2017), funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

1. Dresen, A., Kläber, M., Dietz, P. Use of performance-enhancing drugs and the Internet. Criminological reflections on a culture of communication in sport. Sportwissenschaft 2014, 44 (3), 153 – 159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-014-0339-7

2. Doyle, E., Seeking advice about children’s health in an online parenting forum, Medical Sociology Online 2013, 7 (3), 17 – 28.

3. Fage-Butler, A. M., Jensen, M. N. The Interpersonal Dimension of Online Patient Forums: How Patients Manage Informational and Relational Aspects in Response to Posted Questions, Hermes – Journal of Language and Communication in Business 2013, 51, 21-38. https://doi.org/10.7146/hjlcb.v26i51.97435

4. Tighe, B., Dunn, M., McKay, F. H. et al. Information sought, information shared: exploring performance and image enhancing drug user-facilitated harm reduction information in online forums, Harm Reduct J 2017, 14 (48), 1 – 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-017-0176-8

5. Rusu, I.A. Exchanging health advice in a virtual community: A story of tribalization, Journal of Comparative Research in Anthropology and Sociology 2016, 2, 57-69.