Table 7.
Predictor variables | Hazard ratio | SE | P |
Has a profile | 0.511 | 0.010 | <.001 |
% Thread starters | 0.853 | 0.010 | <.001 |
Post count exposure | 0.343 | 0.012 | <.001 |
Emotional support exposure | 0.665 | 0.008 | <.001 |
Informational support exposure | 1.048 | 0.012 | <.001 |
Post count exposure × emotional support exposure | 0.493 | 0.011 | <.001 |
Post count exposure × informational support exposure | 0.953 | 0.020 | .02 |
In interpreting the hazard ratio, the comparison consisted of members with no profiles who were exposed to an average number of messages containing average levels of emotional and informational support. The hazard ratio value of .51 for has a profile meant that members with a profile were 49% more likely to continue to participate than those without a profile (100%–[100%*0.51]). Those who started more threads in a week were 15% more likely to continue participating than those who merely responded to others’ posts.