Abstract
BackgroundSocial media is rapidly changing how cancer survivors search for and share health information and can potentially serve as a cost-effective channel to reach cancer survivors and invite them to participate in nutrition intervention programs.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of using Twitter to recruit cancer survivors for a web-based survey and assess their willingness to complete web-based nutrition surveys, donate biospecimens, and to be contacted about web-based nutrition programs.MethodsWe contacted 301 Twitter accounts of cancer organizations, advocates, and survivors to request assistance promoting a web-based survey among cancer survivors. The survey asked respondents whether they would be willing to complete web-based nutrition or lifestyle surveys, donate biospecimens, and be contacted about web-based nutrition programs. Survey promotion rate was assessed by the percentage of Twitter accounts that tweeted the survey link at least once. Survey response was assessed by the number of survey respondents who answered at least 85% (26/30). We compared the characteristics of cancer survivors who responded to this survey with those who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2010 and evaluated factors associated with willingness to complete web-based surveys, donate biospecimens, and be contacted to participate in web-based nutrition programs among those who responded to the social media survey.ResultsOver 10 weeks, 113 Twitter account owners and 165 of their followers promoted the survey, and 444 cancer survivors provided complete responses. Two-thirds of respondents indicated that they would be willing to complete web-based nutrition or lifestyle surveys (297/444, 67.0%) and to be contacted to participate in web-based nutrition interventions (294/444, 66.2%). The percentage of respondents willing to donate biospecimens were 59.3% (263/444) for oral swab, 52.1% (231/444) for urine sample, 37.9% (168/444) for blood sample, and 35.6% (158/444) for stool sample. Compared with a nationally representative sample of 1550 cancer survivors in NHANES, those who responded to the social media survey were younger (53.1 years vs 60.8 years; P<.001), more likely to be female (93.9% [417/444] vs 58.7% [909/1550]; P<.001), non-Hispanic whites (85.4% [379/444] vs 64.0% [992/1550]; P<.001), to have completed college or graduate school (30.1 [133/444] vs 19.9% [308/444]; P<.001), and to be within 5 years of their initial diagnosis (55.2% [244/444] vs 34.1% [528/1550]; P<.001). Survivors younger than 45 years, female, and non-Hispanic whites were more willing to complete web-based nutrition surveys than older (65+ years), male, and racial or ethnic minority survivors. Non-Hispanic whites and breast cancer survivors were more willing to donate biospecimens than those with other race, ethnicity or cancer types.ConclusionsTwitter could be a feasible approach to recruit cancer survivors into nutrition research and web-based interventions with potentially high yields. Specific efforts are needed to recruit survivors who are older, male, racial and ethnic minorities, and from socioeconomically disadvantaged groups when Twitter is used as a recruitment method.
Highlights
BackgroundNearly two-thirds of American adults (65%) use social networking sites, with a particular increase among those 65 years and older (35% in 2015, more than tripled since 2010) [1]
Our initial search identified a total of 404 Twitter accounts, with 246 accounts identified through direct Twitter search, 147 accounts identified through Symplur search, and 11 accounts identified from CARE Twitter followers
103 accounts were excluded because of lack of contact information (n=38), the number of followers smaller than the predetermined threshold (n=27), duplicate accounts identified in both Twitter account search and Symplur search (n=15), commercial accounts (n=11), irrelevant to cancer (n=2), and inactive accounts defined as no messages posted in the past 30 days (n=2)
Summary
BackgroundNearly two-thirds of American adults (65%) use social networking sites, with a particular increase among those 65 years and older (35% in 2015, more than tripled since 2010) [1]. Attai et al surveyed the knowledge level and psychosocial outcomes in breast cancer survivors who were participants of a Twitter support community for breast cancer survivors by posting the survey link on its Twitter, Facebook page, and blog [4] This method yielded 206 responses after 2 weeks of survey promotion. Social media may represent a cost-effective method for health care providers and cancer support groups to reach cancer survivors in the community and invite them to participate in web-based nutrition intervention programs. Social media is rapidly changing how cancer survivors search for and share health information and can potentially serve as a cost-effective channel to reach cancer survivors and invite them to participate in nutrition intervention programs
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