| Self-reconstruction |
|
| In the beginning, you really need a self-awareness process, and fellow patients on Weibo can indeed provide various information. [H17] |
Self-awareness |
| Some people record their health status and medication intake on Weibo to help manage these aspects themselves. [H7] |
Self-health management |
| But I probably wouldn’t post my daily feelings and life updates on this platform. [H16] |
Sharing personal life |
| A relational bond |
|
| Later I remembered Weibo exists, so I searched there and eventually found the A-friends. [H18] |
Community searching |
| On Weibo, when you follow someone, it showed other related users. By checking comments/likes under their posts - especially those with “A” symbols, “Ai” emojis, or medication start dates - you can find many “similar people.” [H26] |
Show other A-friends |
| A form of power |
|
| When an A-friend with Kaposi’s sarcoma posted a help request on Weibo, hundreds of us reposted it, creating a significant impact. [H6] |
Public rights advocacy |
| We repost to amplify voices against injustices. [H25] |
Public rights advocacy |
| Ego depletion |
|
| Seeing pessimistic content repeatedly, like fellow patients encountering misfortunes, makes me anxious about myself. [H15] |
Pessimism |
| Sometimes I feel deserving of the accusations. [H18] |
Self-stigmatization |
| Unconsciously comparing myself with active/finding partner community members makes me feel inadequate or even envious. [H30] |
Self-comparison |
| Privacy concern and misinformation |
|
| My Weibo was found by real-life friends, colleagues, and classmates despite blocking phone number access. [H3] |
Privacy anxiety |
| Some community members post private photos or inappropriate content in Weibo groups. [H29] |
Inappropriate content |
| Limitations of public visibility |
|
| Weibo’s polarized public opinion shows extreme attitudes toward (HIV+) people. [H18] |
Extreme remarks |
| Some netizens’ harsh comments are irredeemable - why attack patients so viciously? [H21] |
Extreme remarks |
