Oh, Hyun Jung, and Byoungkwan Lee. "The effect of computer-mediated social support in online communities on patient empowerment and doctor–patient communication." Health communication 27.1 (2012): 30-41.

This study investigates the impact of computer-mediated social support (CMSS) from diabetes online communities on Korean diabetes patients' empowerment and their intention to communicate actively with doctors. Analyzing data from 464 patients, it found that more active engagement in online communities led to higher perceived CMSS, which significantly predicted patients' intention to actively communicate with their doctors, mediated by an increased sense of empowerment. The findings underscore the importance of online communities in enhancing patient empowerment and promoting proactive communication with healthcare providers.