Tutorial Six: The Internet and Online Communities
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
The site’s motto is “reducing the burden of neurological
disease” which instantly is obvious of the sites purpose. They share recent
articles about new treatments, funding information, diversity programs,
training and career awards among other features. They state that NINDS supports
basic research in related scientific areas. They operate a program of contracts
for funding for research and research support efforts.
Stroke Foundation of New Zealand Inc.
On the website of the site under “what we do” states: ‘Our
mission is to: save lives, improve outcomes, enhance life after stroke.’ I think
this site’s intended purpose is to ‘save lives’ by creating awareness about
symptoms and improving recognition of stroke symptom onset and immediate
response. They state to ‘improve outcomes’ by reviewing, updating and
publishing National Stroke Guidelines. The intend to enhance life after stroke
by offereing and organize support groups such as ‘spouce support group’ and ‘stroke
clubs.’ The meet up regularly to share and gain support from each to carry on
dealing with life after stroke. The funding of the stroke foundation comes from
donations, grants and mainly government contracts.
Heart and Stroke foundation
This community is a volunteer-based health charity which
intends to eliminate heart disease and stroke through the promotion of healthy
living. They train to provide the public with information on heart and stroke
symptoms to make people more aware. People can contribute by signing up,
getting trained and informing public about healthy living. The make people who
suffer from such happenings less alone and segregated from communities.
People choose to contribute to such communities to get
outside support of what they are going through. Sometimes dealing with such
illnesses with family members is too raw and difficult. They are seeking an
outside opinion, voice and support. When someone posts a question or asking for
help it does not only help them but those who see the online community as well.
You can be anonymous which allows you to be free in what you want to talk about
with strangers going through similar obstacles as you. Such sites relate to
occupational concepts such as occupational justice and occupational deprivation.
Occupational justice can be related to among the community as they have each
experienced having the decision made for them to not participate in their own
occupations. Occupational deprivation is when occupations these people are
entitled to be taken away or not offered to them at all. Having this community
enables these people to feel purposeful in an aspect of their life that they
are completely in control of.
Lack of identity and accountability could occur through
anonymity and being open to the public, not private sites, this of course would
be something to look out for. Benefits of these online communities would be they
can help people from all over the globe without the hassle of travel. Limitations
would be not being able to have the connection of physical meetings.
