HeartNET is an online community providing support for people affected by cardiovascular disease. It has over 10,000 posts on its discussion board and averages 50-100 messages per week. The site is a collaborative project between Edith Cowan University and the National Heart Foundation aimed at giving heart patients a voice and place to share their experiences. Research is being conducted on the site to understand how media influences perceptions of heart disease and how membership impacts support sharing and disease perceptions. Preliminary findings suggest networking is important for support and empowerment, and that media can impact help-seeking behaviors during heart events.

1. HeartNET an online community:
Giving heart patients a voice
Lynsey Uridge
Moderator: HeartNET
PhD candidate
www.heartnet.com.au

2. Cardiovascular disease
Is heart, stroke and blood vessel disease
kills one Australian nearly every 11 minutes
affects more than 3.4 million Australians
prevents 1.4 million people from living a full life
because of disability caused by the disease
affects one in five Australians, and two out of
three families
claimed the lives of almost 48,500 Australians
(34% of all deaths) in 2008 - deaths that are
largely preventable. (Heart Foundation, 2010)

3. What is HeartNET?
Semi moderated support site for anyone
affected by CVD
Collaborative PhD project
Edith Cowan University
National Heart Foundation WA Division
Australian Research Council

4. HeartNET
www.heartnet.com.au

5. Membership
Place of Residence
321
160
146
131
68 59
18 15
59
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
W
A
N
SW
Q
LD
VIC
N
T
SA
AC
T
TAS
O
ther-International

6. What does HeartNET provide?
Provides member only
Discussion board (asynchronous- not real
time)
Chat room (synchronous – real time)
Private message facility
Guest access

7. Some Statistics
HeartNET turned 5 on the ANZAC Day
weekend 2010
Since 2005 there has been:
75,331 logins
On average 50-100 messages a week
Over 10,000 posts on the bulletin board

8. PhD Research
The identity of the cardiovascular patient in
the gift economy: Media influences and
HeartNET
Comparison between HeartNET members and
non- HeartNET members
Reciprocation and sharing of support
How media portrays heart disease

9. Methodology
In-depth interview x2
Focus groups
Interactions on HeartNET
Interviewing of Health Reporters
The West Australian
The Australian

10. Preliminary Findings:
Networking Important
essential as many people experience
moments of dark thoughts and panic in the
middle of the night; having the online
support available allows people to express
their thoughts at anytime because
sometimes there are other sleepless
HeartNETters online
(Uridge, Green & Rodan, 2008, p.148)

11. Preliminary Findings
Ignoring symptoms
Patients experiencing an acute myocardial
infarction wait an average of 4.5 hours
before seeking medical treatment
(Wielgoz, Nolan, Earp, Biro & Wielgoz, 1988, p. 853)
In a study of 313 patients who had a
myocardial infarction only 25% called an
ambulance within an hour of the onset of
symptoms, 60% sought help within four
hours; of the remainder 12% waited longer
than 24 hours to seek medical treatment
(Hooper and Morrison, 2000, p.138)

12. Hollywood Phenomenon
4 out of 10 people in UK take advice on
heart attacks from TV and movies (Hope,
2008)
Coronation Street
East Enders
Neighbours
Simpsons

13. Empowerment
Empowerment is the process of enabling or
authorizing an individual to think, behave,
take action, and control work and decision
making in autonomous ways. It is the state
of feeling self-empowered to take control of
one's own destiny (Heathfield, 2010).
Change of attitude over time
Readjustment period
Get affairs in order
Not afraid to die

14. The Bucket List
Similar to movie of same name
Heart events give members permission to
live life to the full
Do things thought about- but never done
Tick tasks off and share with fellow
HeartNETters when completed

15. Where to from here?
HeartNET will continue until completion of
current PhD
Community will continue to grow
Members will continue to have a voice

16. Contact details
Lynsey Uridge
Moderator HeartNET
PhD Candidate
Edith Cowan University
2 Bradford street
Mt Lawley WA 6050
P: (08) 9370 6337
E: l.uridge@ecu.edu.au
W: www.heartNET.com.au