Web-Based Forums for People Experiencing Substance Use or Gambling Disorders: Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Addiction Research
• Digital Health
• Online Communities

Background:

• Web-based peer-supported forums provide vital spaces for individuals with substance use or gambling disorders to share experiences and find mutual support.
• These platforms overcome geographical and anonymity barriers inherent in face-to-face support meetings.
• Understanding user engagement and forum principles is crucial for developing effective digital recovery tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review literature on how individuals with substance use or gambling disorders, and their support networks, utilize web-based peer-supported forums.
• To identify user characteristics, participation methods, underlying principles, and reported outcomes of these online forums.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of peer-reviewed primary studies on web-based addiction forums for adults.
• Searches conducted across 10 databases in June 2021, with subsequent citation searches in September 2022 and February 2024.
• Inclusion criteria focused on English-language primary studies.

Main Results:

• The majority of forums reviewed focused on alcohol problems, with users typically being women aged 40-50.
• Participation was documented both quantitatively and qualitatively.
• Key principles included mutual help and recovery identity formation; outcomes were reported in only three studies.

Conclusions:

• Web-based peer support forums are utilized for information sharing, experience exchange, and mutual support among individuals with addiction.
• These online platforms offer an alternative to traditional support, potentially reducing engagement barriers.
• Further research is needed on reported outcomes of these digital support systems.