‘Swellness’ is a University of Michigan School of Information and Intel Digital Health collaboration to create wellness interventions using social computing.
Social computing is a promising opportunity for research that can contribute to health and wellness. Social software can help connect patients with their friends and family, with other patients, and with caregivers, giving them access to information and social support. Social software – through comparisons and other techniques – can also help persuade people to make behavior changes that improve their wellness or that can help them better manage a chronic illness. One of the under-explored opportunities in this space is the integration of wellness applications with existing social network sites, which allow developers of applications to leverage a patient’s existing relationships. Through the development of two applications, and deployment of one, we have identified some opportunities and challenges for building applications as part of sites such as Facebook, though many questions will require further study.
For more information on Social Computing and HCI at the University of Michigan, see the Michigan Interactive and Social Computing Group.
Current studies
- AffectCheck: visualize the emotional words in your tweets
- Three Good Things Facebook application
- Steps Facebook application
- Qualitative study of use of social computing for wellness management
Papers
Munson, SA. “Beyond the share button: Making social network sites work for health and wellness,” IEEE Potentials 30(5): 42-47.
Newman, MW; Lauterbach, D; Munson, SA; Resnick, P; Morris, M. “It’s not that I don’t have problems, I’m just not putting them on Facebook”: Challenges and Opportunities in Using Online Social Networks for Health, CSCW 2011.
Munson, SA; Lauterbach, D; Newman, M, Resnick, P. (2010). “Happier Together: Integrating a Wellness Application Into a Social Network Site,” Persuasive 2010.
Workshops and Workshop Papers
Munson, S; Lauterbach, D; Newman, M, Resnick, P; Morris, M. (2010) “Integrating Wellness Interventions with Existing Social Network Sites,” Wellness Informatics Workshop. CHI 2010. 10 April 2010.
Munson, S; Lauterbach, D; Newman, M, Resnick, P; Morris, M. (2010). “The Opportunity of Social Computing to Make Us Healthier Together,” Workshop on CSCW Research in Healthcare: Past, Present, and Future. CSCW 2010.
