Patient narratives from COVID-19 wards in social media

This article presents the results of an empirical study narrative “reports” patients from СOVID wards, conducted by them in different waves pandemic (2020-2021) on social media. The subject analysis is motives for conducting these reports and typology patients’ narratives posted network. was based idea a “digital sickness style” (the combination patient’s “sickness role”, family professional roles illness treatment while hospital thanks to mobile Internet) theory patient storytelling developed representatives “narrative turn” medical research. Qualitative posts (texts photos) through netnography optic also took into account network communication pragmatics, commentators’ reactions narrators, affecting pace content postings. identified three online posting COVID ward - be source reliable, first-hand ethnographic knowledge about what happening reassure their audience, gain emotional informational support them. types “restitution narrative”, “quest “angry narrative”. As additional findings, offers observations differences non-СOVID patients, as well number other constitutive effects health exchange Internet.