Aa
Way to reduce add-ons to old threads?
I've been told that MedHelp can't make the old threads in the archives read-only. But is there a way to add a little warning that might come up if someone tries to post onto a thread that (say) was last written on in 2004, that says "Note, this is an older thread. If you have a current issue, please start a new thread. Do you want to continue? Y/N" or something like that? It doesn't hurt anything to have new people post onto old threads if they are just adding an opinion to the discussion, but we often see someone try to get help for their current, worrisome issue by posting it on to the bottom of an old, old thread, and people don't always even read those.
Thanks for the suggestion and the feedback. We will be looking into how we can fix this shortly. Stay tuned...
To add to the detail if the powers that be are considering this, the warning should come up BEFORE someone pours their heart out and types a whole post. It should flick up on the screen just as the person clicks the button to begin to type.
On Maternal & Child, we see long threads that are largely someone finding an old post, adding a plea for help to it, and then getting no answer, and then the next person posts about three months later, asking for help on the issue, and gets no answer, and then three months later someone else posts asking if someone can answer her question on the topic, and no answer. It's really discouraging to see this, and is complicated work to try to answer a whole group of ladies who didn't get an answer. This happens on emotional topics, where the whole thread topic is sort of like a tar baby, hooking the next person in and the next one and the next.
The problem is that these kind of posters do think they are going to get an answer, even when they type onto an old thread, and I'm sure it makes them think the site is pretty useless when nobody responds. They don't notice the date of the original post, these are usually new users of the site who found a topic by googling and don't know to read for the date on the post. We see this a lot with issues like "I had my tubes tied and now regret it, how can I get pregnant? I don't have the money to try a reversal..." and some of the posts are very sad. ("My husband is going to leave me if I can't give him a child" or "I was tricked into having my tubes tied...") And nobody answers them. It's bad enough that they have nowhere to turn but the Internet, but it makes it worse that they think they will get some help (given that the site is called MedHelp) or at least some sympathy, and instead they get nothing. At least on M&C, if they post a fresh question, some of the regulars on the site would read it instead of ignoring it and would give a response even if they couldn't give good news.
I've sometimes asked for this kind of thread to be deleted entirely, since all it does is draw more posters who get the impression someone will help them, but the mods don't always do it. Failing being able to make threads of a certain age all read-only, it would definitely help if we could at least give women a heads-up on those that they might get better results if they posted fresh.
On Maternal & Child, we see long threads that are largely someone finding an old post, adding a plea for help to it, and then getting no answer, and then the next person posts about three months later, asking for help on the issue, and gets no answer, and then three months later someone else posts asking if someone can answer her question on the topic, and no answer. It's really discouraging to see this, and is complicated work to try to answer a whole group of ladies who didn't get an answer. This happens on emotional topics, where the whole thread topic is sort of like a tar baby, hooking the next person in and the next one and the next.
The problem is that these kind of posters do think they are going to get an answer, even when they type onto an old thread, and I'm sure it makes them think the site is pretty useless when nobody responds. They don't notice the date of the original post, these are usually new users of the site who found a topic by googling and don't know to read for the date on the post. We see this a lot with issues like "I had my tubes tied and now regret it, how can I get pregnant? I don't have the money to try a reversal..." and some of the posts are very sad. ("My husband is going to leave me if I can't give him a child" or "I was tricked into having my tubes tied...") And nobody answers them. It's bad enough that they have nowhere to turn but the Internet, but it makes it worse that they think they will get some help (given that the site is called MedHelp) or at least some sympathy, and instead they get nothing. At least on M&C, if they post a fresh question, some of the regulars on the site would read it instead of ignoring it and would give a response even if they couldn't give good news.
I've sometimes asked for this kind of thread to be deleted entirely, since all it does is draw more posters who get the impression someone will help them, but the mods don't always do it. Failing being able to make threads of a certain age all read-only, it would definitely help if we could at least give women a heads-up on those that they might get better results if they posted fresh.
I so agree. Many ignore the date and see postings on the question and assume it has been handled so the person's issue often does not get addressed. People are googling and come across the old post and then add to it. On the Ovarian Cancer forum it has been quite problematic. Because the cyst forum is relatively new many women are adding to posts that are several years old. Because Ovarian cancer is not curable many of the women who had posted on that old post have passed away. This adds a lot of sadness and stress to those currently suffering. What a great idea to put a pop up reminder that this is an old post.
Oh... I totally agree!
Often, I read the the title of the post and overlook the date.
Having the kind of disclaimer that AnnieBrooke mentioned would put the question
and subsequent answers into a proper time context. Many posted questions are
time sensitive; and are no longer relevant 2 years after the fact.
Great idea, Annie.
Often, I read the the title of the post and overlook the date.
Having the kind of disclaimer that AnnieBrooke mentioned would put the question
and subsequent answers into a proper time context. Many posted questions are
time sensitive; and are no longer relevant 2 years after the fact.
Great idea, Annie.
wonderful Idea..I recently had a 2 year old post pulled , very nicely said, Ladies please lets try to help those currently in need, I want value and appreciate all your help and comments, this post however is quite old,
the poster who had not posted in over a year musta got a email she wrote me a real snotty letter,,,
we need to address people who need us NOW
the poster who had not posted in over a year musta got a email she wrote me a real snotty letter,,,
we need to address people who need us NOW
Great idea, Brooke!
Please, powers that be. We need this. Some of the new people are not aware of the age of the thread they are posting on.
Please, powers that be. We need this. Some of the new people are not aware of the age of the thread they are posting on.
You are reading content posted in the Improve MedHelp Suggestions Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
