RESEARCH PAPERS

A Study on the Bidirectional Effects of Personal Information Disclosure on Social Support in Online Health Communities

  • Zhu Guang ,
  • Ma Yu ,
  • Liu Wen
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  • School of Management Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044
Zhu Guang, Professor, PhD, E-mail: guangguang4992@sina.com; Ma Yu, Master’s Candidate; Liu Wen, Master’s Candidate.

Received date: 2025-07-29

  Revised date: 2025-11-14

  Online published: 2026-09-24

Supported by

This work is supported by the National Social Science Fund of China project titled “Research on the Resolution of Privacy Paradox and Graded Circulation Value-added of Personal Health Data”(Grant No.24BTQ027).

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] This study explores the bidirectional exchange effects of personal information disclosure on social support in online health communities, aiming to deepen the understanding of health information exchange behaviors in digital scenarios. It seeks to provide a decision-making reference for online health communities in balancing user privacy with value exchange and optimizing social support networks. [Method/Process] Based on social support theory, this study investigates the influence mechanism of personal information disclosure on the bidirectional exchange between the “acquisition” and “provision” of social support. It further introduces social capital theory to examine the differentiated mediating role of structural social capital. Using web crawlers to capture monthly user interaction data from “Lymphoma Home”, this study constructs a dynamic panel model for empirical analysis using the System Generalized Method of Moments. [Result/Conclusion] The study finds that when users disclose more personal information, it effectively promotes both the acquisition and provision of informational support. Meanwhile, this disclosure behavior facilitates the acquisition of emotional support but inhibits its provision. Furthermore, structural social capital plays a differential mediating role in the bidirectional exchange of social support: on the one hand, its positive effect on the acquisition of informational support is greater than its impact on the provision of informational support; on the other hand, it has a positive effect on the acquisition of emotional support but inhibits the provision of emotional support.

Cite this article

Zhu Guang , Ma Yu , Liu Wen . A Study on the Bidirectional Effects of Personal Information Disclosure on Social Support in Online Health Communities[J]. Library and Information Service, 2026 , 70(19) : 87 -100 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.19.007

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