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Background Patients are using online health forums (OHFs) to exchange about their health, diseases and treatments. Some OHFs are independent, not submitted to health care providers' control nor to social desirability. This must probably influence the very nature of patient's learning. Objectives: This research aims to bring some answers to the following questions: What are the characteristics of independent OHFs? What are OHF internaut patients' profile? How do they use OHFs? Are there any characteristics that might help to understand their use of OHFs? Methods: A literature review has been undertaken querying 10 databases. The review was completed with an analysis of the "grey literature". Eleven keywords were used singly or in combination. The article selection was conducted by two independent researchers. Results: 23 documents were selected and analysed. Five OHF definitions, three user's classifications and four OHF uses were identified and analysed. Discussion: The review allowed us to 1) formulate a definition of a chronic health conditions oriented OHF, 2) describe its characteristics, 3) suggest a users' classification and, 4) describe the four OHF uses. Conclusions: Independent OHF is a virtual and free space beyond institutional control. It may be considered as a learning and educational media, formal and informal, and spontaneous. The understanding of the knowledge acquisition processes and strategies among OHF users is necessary in order to use this web tool as patient education strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To give a comprehensive overview of the factors that influence the transition from pediatric services to adult care, and to conceptualize a relevant education program.Method: An evaluation grid was used to analyze the literature and classify factors depending on whether they were related to the patients, to the health care organization, to health care personnel, to the interaction between medical staff and patient, or to the illness and its treatment.Results: We based our analysis on a selection of 20 publications. The following factors were identified and classified in an integrative framework: self-management skills, trust in adult care, the feeling of self-efficacy, social support, the patient's gender and social position, the trust between child carers and adult carers, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the medical staff's consideration of the patient's projects.Conclusions and Practice Implications: The current analysis makes it possible to formulate educational aims and to design a way of integrating them to a transition plan. However, the collected studies mainly focus on knowledge of the illness, on treatment, and on the health care system. Psychosocial dimensions at play at the time of the transition - such as identity development - are not sufficiently explored in the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]