Mediaboss Marketing

By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers who turn to social networking sites focused on quitting smoking form strong supportive bonds with their like-minded peers, a new study reveals. And these cyber-connections boost the odds they'll kick their habit.

The finding is based on survey responses from 252 registrants of health-centric websites.

"I found that people who join health-based social networking sites are able to quit smoking and abstain for longer periods of time because of the sense of community they build with other members," said study author Joe Phua, an assistant professor in the department of advertising and public relations at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The study appeared online recently in the Journal of Communication.

To assess how online social networking might affect smoking cessation efforts, between 2009 and 2010 Phua focused on registered members at one of six health-focused portals, including iVillage, Why Quit and Inspire. None of the sites was sponsored by a drug manufacturer, and all included standard social media features, such as profiles, news feeds, message boards and "friend" links.

About seven in 10 of the network users were white, at an average age of roughly 40. As a whole, the group tended to be relatively affluent and well-educated.

Participants completed an online questionnaire about the amount of time they spent on the site and the degree to which each felt their attitudes, beliefs, sense of self and specific views on smoking were shared by other site members.

They also indicated the amount of social support they felt they got from other members, alongside informative, emotional and practical assistance. Finally, respondents ranked themselves in terms of their confidence about being able to snuff out their cigarettes for good.

On average, those surveyed spent nearly four hours a week on their respective sites, posting an average of six messages each week, Phua found.

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Social networking sites may help smokers kick the habit