Engaging with Facebook Health Support Groups among Australian Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Objectives: This study aims to explore the key factors that enhance engagement in Facebook health support groups amongAustralian culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conductedusing convenience sampling. A total of 1,145 CALD participants residing in New South Wales, Australia, were initiallyrecruited. From this sample, 150 participants who self-reported regular engagement with Facebook health support groupswere included in the final analysis. A pilot test (n = 30) demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha >0.70).
Data collection involved a structured questionnaire employing a 7-point Likert scale to assess factors such as motivation,trust, perceived support (received and given), social connectedness, and sense of virtual community. Results: Motivation andtrust significantly influenced both support dynamics and the perceived sense of virtual community. The sense of virtual community,in turn, strongly predicted engagement in Facebook health support groups. Interestingly, social connectedness alonewas not a significant predictor of engagement. Conclusions: Fostering a strong sense of virtual community appears to be acritical factor in encouraging sustained engagement in digital health platforms among CALD populations.