This story provides a listing of five major patient networking sites which patients living with chronic illnesses can find support and information.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the California Healthcare Foundation, chronic disease patients can find resources that are more useful to them than other searchers.  As soon as they get online, this report says, chronically ill people are much more likely to blog or get into online discussions about their specific diagnosis.

If you have a family member or close friend whose access to resources is limited, consider getting them online, if they are not already participating.

Online access can reduce the feelings of isolation which many chronic disease patients have. It can empower them by enabling them to find resources on their own.

Internet access and coaching can be one of the best gifts you ever give anyone whose chronic disease erodes the quality of daily life.

The New York Times

…”For many people, social networks are a place for idle chatter about what they made for dinner or sharing cute pictures of their pets. But for people living with chronic diseases or disabilities, they play a more vital role. (Emphasis added)

“It’s really literally saved my life, just to be able to connect with other people,” said Sean Fogerty, 50, who has multiple sclerosis, is recovering from brain cancer and spends an hour and a half each night talking with other patients online.

“People fighting chronic illnesses are less likely than others to have Internet access, but once online they are more likely to blog or participate in online discussions about health problems, according to a report released Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation. (Emphasis added)

“If they can break free from the anchors holding them down, people living with chronic disease who go online are finding resources that are more useful than the rest of the population,” said Susannah Fox, associate director of digital strategy at Pew and author of the report.

“They are gathering on big patient networking sites like PatientsLikeMe, HealthCentral, Inspire, CureTogether and Alliance Health Networks, and on small sites started by patients on networks like Ning and Wetpaint.”

Source: New York Times, March 24, 2010