When more isn’t always better: Mixed effects of physicians’ social support on chronic disease management in online healthcare communities

Abstract

Chronic disease management requires sustained support that extends beyond clinical organizations. Online healthcare communities (OHCs) have therefore emerged as vital platforms where patients can receive social support from physicians and manage their chronic conditions. However, prior research has not fully considered the resource constraints physicians face when providing informational and emotional support in OHCs. Integrating social support theory and optimal matching theory with a resource-allocation perspective, this study develops a level-structure framework of physician-provided social support. Specifically, we propose a two-dimensional conceptualization of physicians’ social support..