Section 1. Introduction: a theoretical and empirical overview of contemporary online health communities. Chapter 1. Online social support groups/communities: implications of theoretical and empirical findings for individuals coping with health concerns -- Section 2. International perspectives: four case studies showcasing international communities of practice online. Chapter 2. Cyber-moms facing motherhood: holding functions and regressive movements in parenting websites ; Chapter 3. Analyzing online social support within the type 1 diabetes community ; Chapter 4. Social support through digital media?: breast cancer groups at facebook ; Chapter 5. Insight into sub-Saharan African discussions of anxiety and depression online -- Section 3. Rethinking the current paradigm: analyzing individual/collective agency in a technologically mediated society. Chapter 6. Lonely typers at midnight: investigating the quandaries of millennial illness through digital ethnography of Reddit ; Chapter 7. Sharing your personal medical experience online: is it an irresponsible act or patient empowerment? ; Chapter 8. Social media for mental health initiatives.