Research on the influencing factors of sustainable fundraising in internet medical crowdfunding: based on dramaturgical theory

TL;DR

This study explores what helps medical crowdfunding campaigns succeed online, using data from China's Waterdrop Charity platform.

Contribution

The paper introduces dramaturgical theory to analyze factors influencing medical crowdfunding performance, revealing new insights into narrative and organizational roles.

Findings

Fundraising success is linked to frequent updates and unique storytelling.

Charitable organizations' experience enhances the impact of updates.

Donor sharing behavior mediates campaign reach and success.

Abstract

Amid global population aging and escalating healthcare costs, technology-enabled medical crowdfunding has emerged as a means to improve access to care. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding its fairness, accountability, and long-term sustainability. Grounded in dramaturgical theory, this study analyzes data from 8,499 completed campaigns on China’s Waterdrop Charity platform from 2018 to 2023. We conduct regression analyses of potential performance determinants to explore, across three dimensions, the key factors shaping medical crowdfunding performance. The results show that fundraising performance is positively associated with dynamic frontstage updates and with distinctive (non-formulaic) narratives; the experience of backstage charitable organizations amplifies the positive effect of dynamic updates; and donors’ sharing/reposting behavior serves as a transmission mediator. Building on these findings, we offer short- and long-term recommendations to optimize performance, improve the medical crowdfunding model, and promote the sustainable development of philanthropy.

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