Communication network analysis in maternity hospital bulletin board system

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Digital Communication

Background:

• Declining total fertility rates in Japan linked to social environmental changes.
• Poor community relationships negatively impact childbirth and child-rearing environments.
• Need for supportive online communities for expectant and new mothers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an online community for maternity hospital patients using a bulletin board system (BBS).
• To analyze communication patterns and network structures within the BBS.
• To understand the evolution of user-generated content and its impact on community support.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a bulletin board system (BBS) on a maternity hospital's official website.
• Analysis of BBS logs to map communication topologies and user interactions.
• Calculation of network centralization degrees and content analysis of discussion threads.

Main Results:

• The hospital's administrative role diminished as direct inter-user communication increased.
• Network analysis revealed evolving communication patterns and community dynamics.
• Content analysis showed a shift from pregnancy-focused to postnatal and child-rearing topics, indicating user engagement across different stages.

Conclusions:

• Online communities, like the BBS studied, can foster supportive environments for childbirth and child-rearing.
• Increased user-to-user interaction reduces the central administrative role, promoting a self-sustaining community.
• Postnatal users actively engage with and support discussions on pregnancy and child-rearing, strengthening the community.