Motivations of the participants who post a message in an online health forum: a qualitative and quantitative descriptive study in French health forum Doctissimo.

The use of information sources offered by the Internet is a way to ask questions, to be reassured, to express oneself or to be confirmed by the community in the hypothesis emitted by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate answer, they come to the community for reassurance, they feel free and legitimate.