Coping with Illness Digitally

An examination of 'digital coping' involving the use of communication technologies, particularly social media, in responding to illness. Communication technologies have become a valuable resource for responding to the profound challenges posed by illness. Medical websites make it possible to find information about specific health conditions, e-mail provides a means to communicate with health care providers, social network sites can be used to solidify existing relationships, online communities provide opportunities for expanding support networks, and blogs offer a forum for articulating illness-related experiences. In this book, Stephen Rains examines this kind of 'digital coping' involving the use of communication technologies, particularly social media, in responding to illness. Synthesizing a diverse body of existing empirical research, Rains offers the first book-length exploration of what it means to cope with illness digitally. Rains examines the implications of digital