Women's views about online communities for gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative interview study.

Pham, S; Churruca, K; Ellis, LA; Braithwaite, J

Women's views about online communities for gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative interview study.

Pham, S

Churruca, K Ellis, LA Braithwaite, J

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Midwifery, 2025, 142, pp. 104280
Issue Date:: 2025-03

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Pham, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1844-2873
dc.contributor.author	Churruca, K
dc.contributor.author	Ellis, LA
dc.contributor.author	Braithwaite, J
dc.date.accessioned	2026-02-18T03:55:41Z
dc.date.available	2024-12-30
dc.date.available	2026-02-18T03:55:41Z
dc.date.issued	2025-03
dc.identifier.citation	Midwifery, 2025, 142, pp. 104280
dc.identifier.issn	0266-6138
dc.identifier.issn	1532-3099
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193562
dc.description.abstract	PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, and the emerging evidence demonstrates how GDM online communities have a positive impact on promoting self-management and improving outcomes. Further analysis of such groups can increase understanding of how peer support in GDM online communities is enabled and enacted. AIM: To examine women's experiences of GDM online communities on Facebook, their motivations for participation, and perceptions of dynamics within the community. METHODS: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 28 participants, recruited from an online survey posted in two self-organised Australian GDM Facebook groups. RESULTS: From our thematic analysis of the interview data, four themes were identified from participants' views about GDM online communities: 'A safe community' encapsulated a desire to be connected with others having similar experiences in a non-judgmental space; 'A supportive and informative group' concerned the need for, and giving of, support, and gaining knowledge; 'An adjunct to healthcare' referred to participants' use of GDM online communities to inform their healthcare experiences; and 'A waiting room' reflected participants' continued involvement in GDM online communities, in part due to future uncertainty. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our findings affirm the value of GDM online communities on Facebook for community, support and information. GDM online communities serve as an adjunct to formal healthcare, augmenting clinic-based appointments and clinical management of GDM, encouraging informed decision-making and self-advocacy. We highlight how, in such spaces, women collaboratively navigate self-management and healthcare.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCI LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Midwifery
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.midw.2024.104280
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1110 Nursing, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	3215 Reproductive medicine
dc.subject.classification	4204 Midwifery
dc.subject.classification	4205 Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Diabetes, Gestational
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Social Media
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Perception
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Diabetes, Gestational
dc.subject.mesh	Perception
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Social Media
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Diabetes, Gestational
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Social Media
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Perception
dc.title	Women's views about online communities for gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative interview study.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	142
utslib.location.activity	Scotland
utslib.for	1110 Nursing
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-02-18T03:55:39Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	142

Abstract:

PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, and the emerging evidence demonstrates how GDM online communities have a positive impact on promoting self-management and improving outcomes. Further analysis of such groups can increase understanding of how peer support in GDM online communities is enabled and enacted. AIM: To examine women's experiences of GDM online communities on Facebook, their motivations for participation, and perceptions of dynamics within the community. METHODS: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 28 participants, recruited from an online survey posted in two self-organised Australian GDM Facebook groups. RESULTS: From our thematic analysis of the interview data, four themes were identified from participants' views about GDM online communities: 'A safe community' encapsulated a desire to be connected with others having similar experiences in a non-judgmental space; 'A supportive and informative group' concerned the need for, and giving of, support, and gaining knowledge; 'An adjunct to healthcare' referred to participants' use of GDM online communities to inform their healthcare experiences; and 'A waiting room' reflected participants' continued involvement in GDM online communities, in part due to future uncertainty. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our findings affirm the value of GDM online communities on Facebook for community, support and information. GDM online communities serve as an adjunct to formal healthcare, augmenting clinic-based appointments and clinical management of GDM, encouraging informed decision-making and self-advocacy. We highlight how, in such spaces, women collaboratively navigate self-management and healthcare.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193562