Mapping cancer patient online support groups: enhancing patient care in a low-middle income healthcare system

TL;DR

This study maps and evaluates online cancer support groups in Egypt, highlighting their role in patient care and the need for better quality resources.

Contribution

The study provides the first comprehensive mapping of cancer patient online support groups in Egypt, revealing their quality and organizational involvement.

Findings

21% of Facebook groups met qualified criteria, 21% were semi-qualified, and 58% were non-qualified.

70% of Facebook community pages were non-qualified, with none fully meeting qualification criteria.

Organizations like hospitals and NGOs play a role in supporting cancer patients through online groups.

Abstract

Cancer’s impact extends beyond the physical domain, affecting patients’ psychological, social, and financial well-being. Consequently, cancer support groups have a crucial role in guiding patients through their cancer journey and improving their quality of life. However, in Egypt, patient support groups remain undervalued and lack comprehensive visibility. This study aimed to address this gap by mapping patient online support groups in Egypt, categorizing them, and highlighting their importance in supporting patients and caregivers. The research includes examining online support groups and pages, particularly on Facebook. The results of our investigation indicate that 21% of the Facebook groups examined met the criteria for classification as qualified, another 21% were categorized as semi-qualified, while most of the groups, comprising 58%, were considered non-qualified. For the Facebook pages examined, organizational involvement through governmental, non-governmental, and charitable institutions qualified these pages as meeting the criteria for qualification. In contrast, the majority (70%) of the analyzed community pages were non-qualified, 30% were semi-qualified, and none met the criteria for qualification. This underscores the need for discernment when engaging with online resources. Furthermore, the study illuminates the role of various organizations, including hospitals, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and pharmaceutical companies, in supporting cancer patients, especially through online support groups. Despite these efforts, comprehensive review articles on Egyptian patient support groups are lacking, making this study a significant contribution to understanding and enhancing patient support in the fight against cancer.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00520-025-09535-1.

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