TY  - EJOU
AU  - Yalikun, Sailigu 
AU  - Isak, Gulimire 
AU  - Hu, Jiawei 
AU  - Ren, Zhihong 

TI  - Online Social Support as an Important Resource in Navigating Major Public Health Emergencies: A Qualitative Study
T2  - International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

PY  - 
VL  - 
IS  - 
SN  - 2049-8543

AB  - <b>Objective:</b> During major public health emergencies, lockdown and home quarantine measures restrict in-person interaction, making online social support an important means of sustaining social connection. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a representative case of such emergencies, this study explores the content, functions, and influencing factors of online social support, aiming to inform the delivery of targeted psychosocial services. <b>Methods:</b> A qualitative study was conducted with semi-structured in-depth interviews among 20 young Chinese adults who had experienced online social support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software, was undertaken to identify, analyse, and report key themes regarding the content, functions and influencing factors of online social support amid the pandemic. <b>Results:</b> Online social support comprised two components: problem-solving support (e.g., official pandemic updates and treatment guidelines, and proximity-based matching of medicines and daily necessities) and empowering support (e.g., peer encouragement and companionship within online mutual-aid groups and game communities). Its positive functions included maintaining daily routines, alleviating negative emotions, enhancing psychological comfort, and facilitating adaptive adjustment; it also exerted negative effects, such as aggravating negative emotions and inducing a sense of being disturbed. The influencing factors comprised situational, interpersonal interaction, personal traits, and online engagement characteristics. <b>Conclusions:</b> During major public health emergencies, online social support may serve as an important resource for sustaining daily functioning and promoting mental health, complementing offline support. These findings highlight the need for official-led, multi-stakeholder integrated online social support systems that provide both problem-solving support and empowering support.
KW  - Online social support; qualitative research; thematic analysis; major public health emergencies

DO  - 10.32604/ijmhp.2026.081487