Abstract ED05-01: Social media and cancer communications: Promises and perils

Abstract

Abstract The emergence of social media as a platform to communicate, network and mobilize is receiving considerable attention in mainstream media. For example, the use of social media has received both credit for the changes in the Middle East and blame for the recent riots in the United Kingdom. The potential to reach a networked and engaged “audience” in hundreds of millions offers significant promise to those in cancer communications to communicate risk and influence behaviors. Despite the promise, significant challenges need to be addressed to exploit the potential of the platform. These challenges include (a) varying characteristics of different social media platforms; (b) characterizing the nature of engagement and the interest of social media users, (c) multiple contesting interpretations of risk among message sponsors, (d) persistent problem of digital divide that social media could potentially bridge or exacerbate, and (e) measurement challenges including difficulty in assessing their impact. The overview will cover these challenges followed by speakers addressing specific cancer-related risk communication issues including tobacco use, communication inequalities and exemplar interventions that address different health risks. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):ED05-01.