TY - JOUR AU - Kelly, Katherine J. AU - Doucet, Shelley AU - Luke, Alison AU - Azar, Rima AU - Montelpare, William PY - 2021/12/03 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Peer-to-peer support on Facebook for caregivers of children and youth with complex care needs in New Brunswick: An environmental scan JF - Journal of New Brunswick Studies / Revue d’études sur le Nouveau-Brunswick JA - JNBS VL - 13 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - UR - https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/JNBS/article/view/32614 SP - 99 - 124 AB - <p>This environmental scan aimed to describe the purpose, use, and reach of health-related peer-to-peer support groups on Facebook for caregivers of children and youth with complex care needs in New Brunswick. A total of 3,104 searches on Facebook and consultations with thirty-two stakeholders led to the identification of forty-seven Facebook support groups (twenty-one active). Groups targeted a range of conditions, with autism and related intellectual disabilities appearing most frequently. Content analysis of posts indicated that groups were primarily used to exchange informational support. This study showed that Facebook-based peer-to-peer support groups are available to families of children and youth with complex care needs in the province. This work also lays a foundation for future scans of Facebook-based support groups in other Canadian provinces and beyond.</p> ER -