Background For more than 20 years, and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for people to discuss health issues. This study investigates the motivations of participants to post a message on a French online health forum (called 'Doctissimo') (Forum Santé - Doctissimo,  2022). Method Between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, all the first messages recorded on the health forum doctissimo (www.forum.doctissimo.fr) were selected in their initial format by a crawler. The transcripts were imported into the qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Two researchers coded the data until a theoretical saturation was obtained. Results We identified four categories of motivation: 1) 'Questioning' allows the exchange of mainly medical information, or sharing of feedback on experiences with the disease: 1722 codes, 44.8%, 2) Worry, need for reassurance: 1066 codes, 27.7% about symptoms or anticipatory anxiety, 3) 'Expressing oneself' mainly allows a catharsis and thus an emotional release, especially negative, but also to share a personal experience: 764 codes 19.9%, 4) Community spirit is a central element to create an emotional support group for psychological support, exchange ideas, meet people in similar situations: 291 codes, 7.6%. The relationship with a health professional when mentioned is generally marked by doubts 39.5%, confusion, or lack of information and the need for additional elements 64.6% or reassurance 60%. The relationship and the obstacles to a medical consultation are described in relation to the use of the forum: immediate availability, anonymity, absence of taboo and community spirit. Conclusion The use of information sources offered by the Internet is a way to ask questions, to be reassured, to express oneself or to be confirmed by the community in the hypothesis emitted by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate answer, they come to the community for reassurance, they feel free and legitimate.

Background : For over 20 years and despite the development of new social networks, health forums have remained a privileged place for patients to exchange around health issues. This study researches the participants’ motivations to post a message in an online French Health Forum (called ‘Doctissimo’).Method : Between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2019, the first posts were recorded on the ‘Doctissimo’ health forum, in their initial format by a crawler. The transcripts were imported in the qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Two researchers codified the data until a theoretical saturation was obtained. Results : Four categories of motivations were identified : 1) 'Requesting' allows the exchange of mainly medical information, or a feedback on experiences with the disease : 44 .81%, 1722 codes ; 2) ‘Worrying, need for reassurance’ : 27.74%, 1066 codes; 3) ‘Self-expressing’ mainly enables catharsis leading to emotional liberation : 19.88%, 764 codes; 4) Community spirit is a central element to create an emotional support group : 7.57%, 291 codes. The relationship and the obstacles to a medical consultation are described. When mentioned, the relationship with a healthcare professional is generally marked by doubts, confusion, or a lack of information.Conclusion : Patients log in to confront a community, they feel free and legitimate. Resorting to the information offered by the Internet is a way of reassuring themselves or of being confirmed in their own hypothesis/ provided by a health professional. Patients are looking for an immediate response.