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Nimbi FM, Ricciardi L, Galizia R, Lingiardi V. Using social media for male sexual health: what do we miss? A perspective article on good practices and missing evidence. Int J Impot Res 2024:10.1038/s41443-024-00854-1. [PMID: 38443554 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-024-00854-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Social media are popular and play a key role in influencing, informing, and stimulating users in their everyday lives. People (especially adolescents and young adults) increasingly use social media to get and share sexual health-related information. Studies have shown encouraging results on using social media for sexual health communication improving attitudes and behaviors, although the current quality of studies makes them little reliable. In fact, literature shows how research on social media and sexual health communication has many limitations and unexplored areas, especially for male users. What can we do as sexual health professionals to improve in this field? The answer is simple: engage in better communication and do more research, starting from the users' needs. There is the urgency to embrace these new ways of information among professionals in order to improve access to better care. In this perspective article, authors will present and discuss some of the evidence on the use of social media in male sexual health and offer some suggestions on how to communicate better in these platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Maria Nimbi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Livio Ricciardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Galizia
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lingiardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Purcell C, McDaid L, Forsyth R, Simpson SA, Elliott L, Bailey JV, Moore L, Mitchell KR. A peer-led, school-based social network intervention for young people in the UK, promoting sexual health via social media and conversations with friends: intervention development and optimisation of STASH. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:675. [PMID: 37041542 PMCID: PMC10088210 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15541-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quality of school-based sex and relationships education (SRE) is variable in the UK. Digitally-based interventions can usefully supplement teacher-delivered lessons and positively impact sexual health knowledge. Designed to address gaps in core SRE knowledge, STASH (Sexually Transmitted infections And Sexual Health) is a peer-led social network intervention adapted from the successful ASSIST (A Stop Smoking in Schools Trial) model, and based on Diffusion of Innovation theory. This paper describes how the STASH intervention was developed and refined. METHODS Drawing on the Six Steps in Quality Intervention Development (6SQuID) framework, we tested a provisional programme theory through three iterative stages -: 1) evidence synthesis; 2) intervention co-production; and 3) adaptation - which incorporated evidence review, stakeholder consultation, and website co-development and piloting with young people, sexual health specialists, and educators. Multi-method results were analysed in a matrix of commonalities and differences. RESULTS Over 21 months, intervention development comprised 20 activities within the three stages. 1) We identified gaps in SRE provision and online resources (e.g. around sexual consent, pleasure, digital literacy), and confirmed critical components including the core ASSIST peer nomination process, the support of schools, and alignment to the national curriculum. We reviewed candidate social media platforms, ruling out all except Facebook on basis of functionality restrictions which precluded their use for our purposes. 2) Drawing on these findings, as well as relevant behaviour change theories and core elements of the ASSIST model, we co-developed new content with young people and other stakeholders, tailored to sexual health and to delivery via closed Facebook groups, as well as face-to-face conversations. 3) A pilot in one school highlighted practical considerations, including around peer nomination, recruitment, awareness raising, and boundaries to message sharing. From this, a revised STASH intervention and programme theory were co-developed with stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS STASH intervention development required extensive adaptation from the ASSIST model. Although labour intensive, our robust co-development approach ensured that an optimised intervention was taken forward for feasibility testing. Evidencing a rigorous approach to operationalising existing intervention development guidance, this paper also highlights the significance of balancing competing stakeholder concerns, resource availability, and an ever-changing landscape for implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN97369178.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Purcell
- Open University, 10 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, EH3 7QJ, UK.
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Lisa McDaid
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Long Pocket Precinct, 80 Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly, Brisbane, QLD, 4068, Australia
| | - Ross Forsyth
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland
| | - Sharon A Simpson
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland
| | - Lawrie Elliott
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Nursing and Community Health, Glasgow Caledonian University, Room 420 George Moore Building, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 OBA, UK
| | - Julia V Bailey
- University College London E-Health Unit, Royal Free Hospital, Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Laurence Moore
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland
| | - Kirstin R Mitchell
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland
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Nizam MZ, Powell L, Zary N. Elements that underpin the design, development and evaluation of social media health interventions. A Scoping Review Protocol. JMIR Res Protoc 2021; 11:e31911. [PMID: 34848388 PMCID: PMC8848224 DOI: 10.2196/31911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Social media use has grown tremendously over the years. Given the volume and diversity of people on social media and the amount of information being exchanged, it is perhaps unsurprising that social media is being used as an avenue to disseminate and deliver health interventions. There exists an opportunity for social media health interventions to make a positive impact on health. However, there is a need to understand more about the ways in which these interventions are designed, developed, and evaluated. This scoping protocol will review the current state of this field by charting the elements that drive the design, development, and evaluation of these interventions. This includes charting models, frameworks, and rationales for the interventions, as well as the platforms being used, and the health behaviors being targeted. This intention of this scoping review is to help inform those who wish to develop effective social media health interventions. Objective The objective of this review is to map the elements that drive the design, development, and evaluation of social media health interventions. We define “social media health intervention” as interventions that make use of social media platforms to disseminate or deliver health-related information and educational initiatives to the public. We will seek to chart the elements that drive the design, development, and delivery of such interventions, including their platforms and targeted health behaviors. Methods The methodological framework for this review is guided by Arksey and O’Malley and enhancements by later studies. We will search relevant literature from 9 databases: (1) PubMed, (2) PsycINFO, (3) EMBASE, (4) Web of Science, (5) Scopus, (6) CINAHL, (7) ERIC, (8) MEDLINE, and (9) Google Scholar. The literature will be screened by at least two reviewers in 2 stages: (1) title/abstract screening against the eligibility criteria; and (2) eligible articles will then undergo a full-text screening. Data will be charted using the data charting tool developed by the authors. Results The results of this study will be presented in a final scoping review paper, divided into 2 sections. The first section will describe the search strategy and study selection process and will contain the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flowchart. The second section will provide key details pertaining to the review objective and question. Conclusions This review will help guide scholars looking to build social media health interventions toward evidence-based practices in design and evaluation. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/31911
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Zayan Nizam
- Institute for Excellence in Health Professions Education (ieHPE), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Building 14, Dubai Healthcare CityP.O Box 505055, Dubai, AE.,School of Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, GB
| | - Leigh Powell
- Institute for Excellence in Health Professions Education (ieHPE), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Building 14, Dubai Healthcare CityP.O Box 505055, Dubai, AE
| | - Nabil Zary
- Institute for Excellence in Health Professions Education (ieHPE), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Building 14, Dubai Healthcare CityP.O Box 505055, Dubai, AE
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Shin HY, Song SY, Jun JK, Kim KY, Kang P. Barriers and strategies for cervical cancer screening: What do female university students know and want? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257529. [PMID: 34610022 PMCID: PMC8491915 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify the distinct barriers and knowledge level of cervical cancer screening among female university students and establish intervention strategies to overcome these barriers. METHODS This study used a mixed-methods design with 26 female university students aged 20-29 years. We first conducted a quantitative online survey for the same study participants, divided them into three groups, and conducted focus group interviews (FGIs). Group A: participants who had sexual experience and had undergone cervical cancer screening; Group B: participants who had sexual experience and had not undergone cervical cancer screening; Group C: participants who did not have sexual experience and had not undergone cervical cancer screening. RESULTS The participants' ages were 21.92 ± 1.26 years. The knowledge levels for cervical cancer and screening were low to moderate. The four main themes that emerged as barriers to cervical cancer screening through the FGIs were: 1) socio-cultural barrier: conservative social perception of unmarried women's sexual life, 2) knowledge barrier: lack of knowledge and information, 3) psychological barrier: discomfort, and 4) practical barrier: time-consuming. The three themes identified for strategies were: 1) socio-cultural intervention: changing social perceptions and ensuring confidentiality, 2) educational intervention: improvement of knowledge and accessibility, and 3) alternative screening intervention: comfortable screening methods. CONCLUSIONS While university students' sexual experience rapidly increased, the socio-cultural perceptions of sexual health remained closed, and they had a reasonably low level of knowledge about cervical cancer screening. Therefore, various strategies sensitive to female university students' culture should be implemented to increase the knowledge level, and social efforts should be made to change the socio-cultural perception of unmarried young women's sexual health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Young Shin
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
- College of Nursing, Baekseok Culture University, Cheonan-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Yeon Song
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kwan Jun
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Ka Young Kim
- Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Purum Kang
- College of Nursing, Woosuk University, Wanju, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
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Discovering social media topics and patterns in the coronavirus and election era. JOURNAL OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION & ETHICS IN SOCIETY 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/jices-04-2021-0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand the relationship between politics and pandemics in shaping the characteristics and themes of people’s Tweets during the US 2020 presidential election. Additionally, the purpose is to detect misinformation and extremism, not only to help online social networks (OSN) to target such content more rapidly but also to provide a close to real-time picture of trending topics, misinformation, and extremism flowing on OSN. This could help authorities to identify the intents behind them and find out how and when they should address such content.
Design/methodology/approach
This study focuses on extracting and verifying knowledge from large-scale OSN data, at the intersection of the Coronavirus pandemic and the US 2020 presidential election. More specifically, this study makes manual, statistical and automatic inferences and extracts knowledge from over a million Tweets related to the two aforementioned major events. On the other hand, disinformation operations intensified in 2020 with the coincidence of the Coronavirus pandemic and presidential election. This study applies machine learning to detect misinformation and extreme opinions on OSN. Over one million Tweets have been collected by our server in real-time from the beginning of April 2020 to the end of January 2021, using six keywords, namely, Covid, Corona, Trump, Biden, Democrats and Republicans. These Tweets are inspected with regard to their topics, opinions, news, and political affiliation, along with misinformation and extremism.
Findings
Our analyses showed that the majority of these Tweets concern death tolls, testing, mask, drugs, vaccine, and travel bans. The second concern among these Tweets is reopening the economy and schools, unemployment, and stimulus bills. The third concern is related to the Coronavirus pandemic’s impacts on politics, voting, and misinformation. This highlights the topics that US voters on Twitter were most concerned about during this time period, among the multitude of other topics that politicians and news media were reporting or discussing. Automatic classification of these Tweets using a long short-term memory network revealed that Tweets containing misinformation formed between 0.5% and 1.1% of Coronavirus-related Tweets every month and Tweets containing extreme opinions formed between 0.5% and 3.1% of them every month, with its pick in October 2020, coinciding with the US presidential election month.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in establishing a framework to collect, process, and classify OSN data to detect misinformation and extremism and to provide a close to real-time picture of trending topics, misinformation, and extremism flowing on OSN.
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Curtiss SL, Stoffers M. Disseminating Resources Online for Teaching Sex Education to People with Developmental Disabilities. SEXUALITY AND DISABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11195-021-09703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Wallis K, Prichard I, Hart L, Yager Z. The Body Confident Mums challenge: a feasibility trial and qualitative evaluation of a body acceptance program delivered to mothers using Facebook. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1052. [PMID: 34078356 PMCID: PMC8173806 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11126-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Motherhood is a time of intense physical, psychological, and identity transformation, and body dissatisfaction may emerge through the process of pregnancy, birth, and adaptation to parenting. We present a feasibility trial of the Body Confident Mums Challenge, a program developed by adapting existing, effective interventions that focus on self-compassion and appreciation of body functionality to be specific to mothers. Methods The program was delivered using the social learning function in a closed Facebook group. Qualitative evaluation of evidence of change was conducted by gathering individual written reflections posted during the challenge (n = 120). Feasibility and acceptability was determined using a feedback survey (n = 22). Results Participant’s reflective posts indicated that they were embracing self-compassion, and de-prioritising body image concerns during the challenge. Feedback indicated that the program was mostly feasible and acceptable for mothers, with recommendations from some participants relating to slowing the pace of content delivery and reducing the time commitment of the Challenge. Conclusions The social media environment may therefore be a useful setting in which to implement brief intervention programs to improve body image and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystina Wallis
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Ivanka Prichard
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laura Hart
- Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population Health and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,School of Psychology and Population Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zali Yager
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray Park, Victoria, Australia.
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Loss J, von Uslar C. How German health insurance providers use social online networks to promote healthy lifestyles: a content analysis of Facebook® accounts. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2021; 21:64. [PMID: 33602221 PMCID: PMC7891150 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-021-01433-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Social networking sites such as Facebook® can contribute to health promotion and behaviour change activities, but are currently underused for this purpose. In Germany, health insurance companies are relevant public health agencies that are responsible for health promotion, primary prevention, and health education. We intended to analyse the Facebook® accounts of health insurance providers to explore the range of prevention topics addressed, identify the communication formats used, and analyse user activity stimulated by prevention-related posts. Methods We performed a quantitative content analysis of text and picture data on Facebook® accounts (9 months in retrospect) in a cross-sectional study design. 64/159 German health insurance providers hosted a Facebook® page, 25/64 posted ≥ 10 posts/months. Among those 25, we selected 17 health insurance companies (12 public, 5 private) for analysis. All posts were categorized according to domains in the classification system that was developed for this study, and the number of likes and comments was counted. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results We collected 3,763 Facebook® posts, 32% of which had a focus on prevention. The frequency of prevention-related posts varied among health insurance providers (1–25 per month). The behaviours addressed most frequently were healthy nutrition, physical activity, and stress/anxiety relief, often in combination with each other. All these topics yielded a moderate user engagement (30–120 likes, 2–10 comments per post). User engagement was highest when a competition or quiz were posted (11% of posts). The predominant communication pattern was health education, often supplemented by photos or links, or information about offline events (e.g. a public run). Some providers regularly engaged in two-side communication with users, inviting tips, stories or recipes, or responding to individual comments. Still, the interactive potential offered by Facebook® was only partly exploited. Conclusions Those few health insurace companies that regularly post content about prevention or healthy lifestyles on their Facebook® accounts comply with suggestions given for social media communication. Still, many health insurance providers fail to actively interact with wider audiences. Whether health communication on Facebook® can actually increase health literacy and lead to behaviour changes still needs to be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julika Loss
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Charlotte von Uslar
- Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Mitchell KR, Purcell C, Forsyth R, Barry S, Hunter R, Simpson SA, McDaid L, Elliot L, McCann M, Wetherall K, Broccatelli C, Bailey JV, Moore L. A peer-led intervention to promote sexual health in secondary schools: the STASH feasibility study. PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.3310/phr08150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Young people report higher levels of unsafe sex and have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections than any other age group. Schools are well placed to facilitate early intervention, but more effective approaches are required. Peer-led approaches can augment school-based education, but often fail to capitalise on mechanisms of social influence. The potential of using social media in sexual health has not been tested in school settings.
Objectives
Finalise the design of the Sexually Transmitted infections And Sexual Health (STASH) intervention; assess the recruitment and retention of peer supporters, and acceptability to participants and stakeholders; assess the fidelity and reach, in addition to the barriers to and facilitators of, implementation; refine programme theory; understand the potential of social media; determine design parameters for a future randomised controlled trial, including economic evaluation; and establish whether or not progression criteria were met.
Design
This was a feasibility study comprising intervention development and refinement of the STASH pilot and non-randomised feasibility trial in six schools. Control data were provided by students in the year above the intervention group.
Setting
Secondary schools in Scotland.
Participants
Students aged 14–16 years, teachers and intervention delivery partners.
Interventions
The STASH intervention was adapted from A Stop Smoking In Schools Trial (ASSIST) (an effective peer-led smoking intervention). Based on diffusion of innovation theory, the STASH study involves peer nomination to identify the most influential students, with the aim of recruiting and training 15% of the year group as peer supporters. The peer supporters deliver sexual health messages to friends in their year group via conversations and use of Facebook (www.facebook.com; Facebook, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA) to share varied content from a curated set of web-based resources. Peer supporters are given support themselves via follow-up sessions and via trainer membership of Facebook groups.
Main outcome measures
The primary outcome was whether or not progression criteria were met in relation to intervention acceptability and feasibility. The study also piloted indicative primary outcomes for a full-scale evaluation.
Data sources
Peer supporter questionnaire; observations of activities; interviews with trainers, teachers, peer supporters and students; monitoring log of peer supporter activities (including on Facebook and meeting attendance); questionnaire to control year group (baseline characteristics, social networks, mediators and sexual health outcomes); baseline and follow-up questionnaire (approximately 6 months later) for intervention year group.
Results
A total of 104 students were trained as peer supporters (just over half of those nominated for the role by their peers). Role retention was very high (97%). Of 611 students completing the follow-up questionnaire, 58% reported exposure to STASH study activities. Intervention acceptability was high among students and stakeholders. Activities were delivered with good fidelity. The peer supporters were active, representative of their year group and well connected within their social network. Carefully managed social media use by peer supporters augmented conversations. A primary outcome of ‘always safer sex’ was identified, measured as no sex or always condom use for vaginal or anal sex in the last 6 months. The intervention cost £42 per student. Six progression criteria were met. A seventh criterion (regarding uptake of role by peer supporters) was not.
Limitations
Small feasibility study that cannot comment on effectiveness.
Conclusions
The STASH intervention is feasible and acceptable within the context of Scottish secondary schools. The results support continuation to a full-scale evaluation.
Future work
Small-scale improvements to the intervention, refinement to programme theory and funding sought for full-scale evaluation.
Trial registration
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN97369178.
Funding
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 8, No. 15. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstin R Mitchell
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Carrie Purcell
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ross Forsyth
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sarah Barry
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Rachael Hunter
- Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sharon A Simpson
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lisa McDaid
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lawrie Elliot
- Department of Nursing and Community Health, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mark McCann
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kirsty Wetherall
- Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Chiara Broccatelli
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Julia V Bailey
- Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Laurence Moore
- Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Veronese V, Ryan KE, Hughes C, Lim MS, Pedrana A, Stoové M. Using Digital Communication Technology to Increase HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e14230. [PMID: 32720902 PMCID: PMC7420634 DOI: 10.2196/14230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV continues to disproportionately affect men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW). Undiagnosed HIV is a major driver of HIV transmission rates, and increasing the uptake of regular HIV testing and facilitating timely initiation of HIV treatment is a global HIV prevention priority. However, MSM and TW experience a range of barriers that limit their access to testing and other prevention services. Given their growing ubiquity, digital communication technologies are increasingly being used to support HIV prevention efforts, and a growing number of studies have trialed the use of digital technology to promote HIV testing among MSM and TW. OBJECTIVE We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of digital communication technology on HIV testing uptake among MSM and TW. Subanalyses aimed to identify the features and characteristics of digital interventions associated with greater impact. METHODS A systematic literature review was undertaken using select databases and conference repositories. Studies describing the use of a digital technology-internet-enabled devices, including phones, tablets, and computers-to increase HIV testing uptake among MSM or TW using either randomized or observational cohort design with measurement of HIV testing rates measured pre- and postintervention, and published in English between 2010 and 2018 were included. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using a random effects meta-analysis. Subanalyses calculated effect estimates grouped by selected features of digital interventions. RESULTS A total of 13 randomized or observational studies were included in the final review. Digital interventions most commonly used mainstream, existing social media platforms (n=7) or promotion through online peer educators (n=5). Most interventions (n=8) were categorized as interactive and allowed user engagement and most directly facilitated testing (n=7) either by providing self-testing kits or referral to testing services. A total of 1930 participants were included across the 13 studies. HIV testing uptake among MSM and TW exposed to digital interventions was 1.5 times higher than that of unexposed MSM and TW (risk ratio [RR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.3-1.7). Subanalyses suggested an increased impact on HIV testing uptake among interventions that were delivered through mainstream social media-based platforms (RR 1.7; 95% CI 1.3-2.1), included direct facilitation of HIV testing (RR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4-1.9), were interactive (RR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4-1.8), and involved end users in the design process (RR 1.6; 95% CI 1.3-2.0). CONCLUSIONS These findings provide broad support for the integration of technology with existing approaches to promote and facilitate HIV testing among MSM and TW. Our findings identified key features that may be associated with greater impact on HIV testing uptake and can be used to inform future development efforts given the growing interest and application of digital technologies in HIV prevention. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42017070055; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42017070055.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Veronese
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Chad Hughes
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Megan Sc Lim
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
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Paterson M, Whitty M, Boyer C. An overview of digital and online strategies to reduce gambling harm. Health Promot J Austr 2020; 32:248-257. [PMID: 32246884 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED Advancements in mobile- and web-based technologies proliferate everyday opportunities to gamble. The increased availability, popularity and intensity of online gambling platforms and interactive gaming activities also changes the way we construct gambling harm reduction interventions. Information and communication technologies (ICT) provide potential opportunities to reduce harm from online gambling through harm minimisation initiatives and currently available services. The aim of this review was to firstly understand the scope of peer-reviewed evidence on ICT-based strategies to reduce online gambling harm, and secondly, what evidence exists specifically in relation to ICT-based harm reduction initiatives for people who gamble online. METHODS Scoping review methods and a five-stage model of analysis were used to: identify the published literature on ICT-based harm minimisation activities for online gambling; distil models appropriate to address gambling harm in this setting; and synthesise all available evidence, noting gaps and patterns. RESULTS Sixteen gambling-specific ICT-based interventions were reviewed in depth. The majority of included studies focused on different components of computer-assisted or online therapy programs for disordered gambling, specifically the development of individual skills in managing problematic gambling behaviour. CONCLUSIONS The review found that despite the widespread potential ICT represent for addressing gambling harm there has been only limited published research to date. SO WHAT There is a clear need for further investigation into uptake, usage, focus and effectiveness of all online gambling interventions on offer. The dearth of gambling-specific empirical knowledge potentially indicates a serious resourcing and reporting issues in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Paterson
- Centre for Gambling Research, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Megan Whitty
- Centre for Gambling Research, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Charlotte Boyer
- Centre for Gambling Research, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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12
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Multi-label classification and knowledge extraction from oncology-related content on online social networks. Artif Intell Rev 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10462-020-09839-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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13
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Albalawi Y, Nikolov NS, Buckley J. Trustworthy Health-Related Tweets on Social Media in Saudi Arabia: Tweet Metadata Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e14731. [PMID: 31596242 PMCID: PMC6914129 DOI: 10.2196/14731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Social media platforms play a vital role in the dissemination of health information. However, evidence suggests that a high proportion of Twitter posts (ie, tweets) are not necessarily accurate, and many studies suggest that tweets do not need to be accurate, or at least evidence based, to receive traction. This is a dangerous combination in the sphere of health information. Objective The first objective of this study is to examine health-related tweets originating from Saudi Arabia in terms of their accuracy. The second objective is to find factors that relate to the accuracy and dissemination of these tweets, thereby enabling the identification of ways to enhance the dissemination of accurate tweets. The initial findings from this study and methodological improvements will then be employed in a larger-scale study that will address these issues in more detail. Methods A health lexicon was used to extract health-related tweets using the Twitter application programming interface and the results were further filtered manually. A total of 300 tweets were each labeled by two medical doctors; the doctors agreed that 109 tweets were either accurate or inaccurate. Other measures were taken from these tweets’ metadata to see if there was any relationship between the measures and either the accuracy or the dissemination of the tweets. The entire range of this metadata was analyzed using Python, version 3.6.5 (Python Software Foundation), to answer the research questions posed. Results A total of 34 out of 109 tweets (31.2%) in the dataset used in this study were classified as untrustworthy health information. These came mainly from users with a non-health care background and social media accounts that had no corresponding physical (ie, organization) manifestation. Unsurprisingly, we found that traditionally trusted health sources were more likely to tweet accurate health information than other users. Likewise, these provisional results suggest that tweets posted in the morning are more trustworthy than tweets posted at night, possibly corresponding to official and casual posts, respectively. Our results also suggest that the crowd was quite good at identifying trustworthy information sources, as evidenced by the number of times a tweet’s author was tagged as favorited by the community. Conclusions The results indicate some initially surprising factors that might correlate with the accuracy of tweets and their dissemination. For example, the time a tweet was posted correlated with its accuracy, which may reflect a difference between professional (ie, morning) and hobbyist (ie, evening) tweets. More surprisingly, tweets containing a kashida—a decorative element in Arabic writing used to justify the text within lines—were more likely to be disseminated through retweets. These findings will be further assessed using data analysis techniques on a much larger dataset in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Albalawi
- Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Department of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Arts and Science, University of Taibah, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.,The Irish Software Research Centre, Lero, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Nikola S Nikolov
- Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,The Irish Software Research Centre, Lero, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jim Buckley
- Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,The Irish Software Research Centre, Lero, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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McDaid L, Riddell J, Teal G, Boydell N, Coia N, Flowers P. The Effectiveness of Social Marketing Interventions to Improve HIV Testing Among Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Systematic Review. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:2273-2303. [PMID: 31006047 PMCID: PMC6766472 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02507-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
HIV testing is central to biomedical HIV prevention, but testing among men who have sex with men remains suboptimal. We evaluated effectiveness of mass media and communication interventions to increase HIV testing and explored patterns between study type, internal validity and intervention effectiveness for the first time. Five databases were searched for articles published between 2009 and 2016 using standard MeSH terms. Eligible studies were quality appraised using standard checklists for risk of bias. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively. Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria; 11 were cross-sectional/non-comparative studies, four were pre/post or interrupted time series, three were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and one was a case study. Risk of bias was high. Five cross-sectional (two graded as high internal validity, one medium and two low) and one RCT (medium validity) reported increased HIV testing. Further work is required to develop and evaluate interventions to increase frequency and maintenance of HIV testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa McDaid
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland G2 3AX UK
| | - Julie Riddell
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland G2 3AX UK
| | - Gemma Teal
- Institute of Design Innovation, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland UK
| | - Nicola Boydell
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland UK
| | - Nicky Coia
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland UK
| | - Paul Flowers
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland G2 3AX UK
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Cao B, Saha PT, Leuba SI, Lu H, Tang W, Wu D, Ong J, Liu C, Fu R, Wei C, Tucker JD. Recalling, Sharing and Participating in a Social Media Intervention Promoting HIV Testing: A Longitudinal Analysis of HIV Testing Among MSM in China. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:1240-1249. [PMID: 30632008 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02392-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Social media interventions may enhance HIV services among key populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). This longitudinal analysis examined the effect of recalling, sharing, and participating in different components of a social media intervention on HIV testing among MSM. The social media intervention included six images/texts and information about an online local community contest to promote testing. Of the 1033 men, they recalled a mean of 2.7 out of six images and shared an average of one image online. 34.5% of men recalled information on the online local community contest and engaged in a mean of 1.3 contest. Recalling images/texts (aOR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.25) and recalling a local contest (aOR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.13-1.24) were associated with facility-based HIV testing. This study has implications for the development and evaluation of social media interventions to promote HIV testing.
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16
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Blomberg K, Eriksson M, Böö R, Grönlund Å. Using a Facebook Forum to Cope With Narcolepsy After Pandemrix Vaccination: Infodemiology Study. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e11419. [PMID: 30990457 PMCID: PMC6488961 DOI: 10.2196/11419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2010, newly diagnosed narcolepsy cases among children and adolescents were seen in several European countries as a consequence of comprehensive national vaccination campaigns with Pandemrix against H1N1 influenza. Since then, a large number of people have had to live with narcolepsy and its consequences in daily life, such as effects on school life, social relationships, and activities. Initially, the adverse effects were not well understood and there was uncertainty about whether there would be any financial compensation. The situation remained unresolved until 2016, and during these years affected people sought various ways to join forces to handle the many issues involved, including setting up a social media forum. Objective Our aim was to examine how information was shared, and how opinions and beliefs about narcolepsy as a consequence of Pandemrix vaccination were formed through discussions on social media. Methods We used quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate a series of messages posted in a social media forum for people affected by narcolepsy after vaccination. Results Group activity was high throughout the years 2010 to 2016, with peaks corresponding to major narcolepsy-related events, such as the appearance of the first cases in 2010, the first payment of compensation in 2011, and passage of a law on compensation in July 2016. Unusually, most (462/774, 59.7%) of the group took part in discussions and only 312 of 774 (40.3%) were lurkers (compared with the usual 90% rule of thumb for participation in an online community). The conversation in the group was largely factual and had a civil tone, even though there was a long struggle for the link between the vaccine and narcolepsy to be acknowledged and regarding the compensation issue. Radical, nonscientific views, such as those expounded by the antivaccination movement, did not shape the discussions in the group but were being actively expressed elsewhere on the internet. At the outset of the pandemic, there were 18 active Swedish discussion groups on the topic, but most dissolved quickly and only one Facebook group remained active throughout the period. Conclusions The group studied is a good example of social media use for self-help through a difficult situation among people affected by illness and disease. This shows that social media do not by themselves induce trench warfare but, given a good group composition, can provide a necessary forum for managing an emergency situation where health care and government have failed or are mistrusted, and patients have to organize themselves so as to cope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Blomberg
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Mats Eriksson
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Rickard Böö
- School of Business, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Åke Grönlund
- School of Business, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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17
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Jawad A, Jawad I, Alwan NA. Interventions using social networking sites to promote contraception in women of reproductive age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019; 3:CD012521. [PMID: 30818414 PMCID: PMC6395225 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012521.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social networking sites (SNSs) have great potential as a platform for public health interventions to address the unmet need for contraception. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions using SNSs to promote the uptake of and adherence to contraception in reproductive-age women. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and six other databases on January 2018. We also searched Google Scholar, key conference proceedings, checked the reference lists of included studies, and contacted study authors to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised interventional studies (NRS) in women of reproductive age. SNSs requiring a social profile within a bounded or restricted-access system of shared connections were included. We also included trials that utilised SNSs only or as an adjunct to an intervention. Studies had to have a follow-up outcome assessment of at least three months. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts and full-text studies, and extracted data from included studies. A third author was assigned to arbitrate areas of disagreement. Authors assessed risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We were unable to conduct a meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity of the study designs and outcome measures. MAIN RESULTS Of the 461 unique records found, only two studies met our inclusion criteria. Both studies were conducted in the USA and were at high risk of bias. One RCT included 2284 women exposed to a web-based SNS or nothing. The groups were no different post intervention in their self-reported consistency of contraceptive use or knowledge of the relative effectiveness of different methods. There was a small but significant increase in the use of more effective methods (long-acting reversible methods) at 12 months' follow-up.The second study, a cluster RCT with 1578 women, used a closed Facebook page showing sexual health content compared to a modified Facebook news page that avoided sexual health content. They found no differences in the use of condoms at last act of sexual intercourse at six months or the intention to use condoms between the intervention and control groups. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Despite the prevalence of SNSs, we found little scientific evidence to support the use of SNSs to improve contraceptive use or adherence among women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aalaa Jawad
- Health Education EnglandPublic Health Training ProgrammeStewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DNLondonUK
| | - Issrah Jawad
- Queen Charlotte's HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDu Cane RoadLondonUKW12 OHS
| | - Nisreen A Alwan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of SouthamptonSchool of Primary Care and Population SciencesSouthampton General HospitalSouthamptonHampshireUKSO16 6YD
- University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation TrustNIHR Southampton Biomedical Research CentreSouthamptonUKS016 6YD
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Wright CJC, Schwarzman J, Dietze PM, Crockett B, Lim MSC. Barriers and opportunities in the translation of mobile phone and social media interventions between research and health promotion practice in Australia: a qualitative study of expert perspectives. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:5. [PMID: 30630497 PMCID: PMC6329110 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-018-0406-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Newer technologies, such as smartphones and social networking sites, offer new opportunities for health promotion interventions. There is evidence to show that these technologies can be effectively and acceptably used for health promotion activities. However, most interventions produced in research do not end up benefitting non-research populations, while the majority of technology-facilitated interventions which are available outside of research settings are either undocumented or have limited or no evidence to support any benefit. We therefore aimed to explore the perspectives of researchers and health promotion experts on efforts to translate technology-facilitated prevention initiatives into practice, and the barriers to achieving translation. Methods We utilised a qualitative study design, involving in-depth interviews with researchers experienced with technology-facilitated prevention interventions and prominent health promotion experts. Results Some barriers mirror the findings of other studies into health promotion practice, which have found that competing priorities, resource limitations and organisational capacity are important in determining use of evidence in programme planning, engagement in translation and evaluation practice. We add to this literature by describing barriers that are more specifically related to technology-facilitated prevention, such as the pace of developments in technology, and how this clashes with the time taken to develop and ready evidence for translation. Conclusions In order to maximise the vast potential of technology-facilitated prevention interventions to promote population health, it is essential that translation is at the forefront of consideration for both researchers and practitioners. We suggest actions that can be taken by both researchers and practitioners to improve translation of technology-facilitated prevention interventions, and also highlight how funding schemes can be modified to facilitate translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra J C Wright
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. .,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Joanna Schwarzman
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul M Dietze
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Belinda Crockett
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Megan S C Lim
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 235 Bouverie St, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
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19
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Rana S, Macdonald N, French P, Jarman J, Patel S, Portman M, Suchak T, Sullivan A, White J, Crook P. Enhanced surveillance of syphilis cases among men who have sex with men in London, October 2016-January 2017. Int J STD AIDS 2019; 30:422-429. [PMID: 30621550 DOI: 10.1177/0956462418814998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Syphilis rates have been increasing in men who have sex with men (MSM) in London. To describe risk behaviour and refine public health interventions, we conducted prospective enhanced surveillance of new syphilis cases in MSM attending selected London sexual health clinics (SHCs) between October 2016 and January 2017. Sexual health advisors (SHAs) completed 107 questionnaires. Eighteen per cent of respondents reported always using condoms, with lower use in HIV-positive (8%, 4/53) than HIV-negative men (33%, 14/52). Almost half of respondents reported condomless sero-discordant sex (46%, 33/72). The most frequent means of meeting new partners reported were venues (80%, 76/95), particularly bars or clubs (34%, 32/95), and apps or websites (79%, 75/95). Nearly a third of respondents reported engaging in group sex (32%, 30/95). Almost half reported drug use during sex (47%, 46/98), with HIV-positive men more likely to report use of the three main 'chemsex' drugs. The majority of respondents preferred health promotion information from SHAs (63%, 58/92) compared to other sources such as Google/Wikipedia and apps. Prevention activity should continue to focus on condomless sex, serosorting, multiple and overlapping partners, and chemsex. SHCs, particularly those serving HIV-positive men, are important sources for sexual health promotion advice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrick French
- 2 Mortimer Market Centre, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jay Jarman
- 3 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sheel Patel
- 4 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mags Portman
- 2 Mortimer Market Centre, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tara Suchak
- 4 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ann Sullivan
- 4 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - John White
- 3 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Social media messages have been increasingly used in health campaigns about prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV. We identified factors leading to the retransmission of messages from expert social media accounts to create data-driven recommendations for online HIV messaging. DESIGN AND METHODS We sampled 20 201 HIV-related tweets (posted between 2010 and 2017) from 37 HIV experts. Potential predictors of retransmission were identified based on prior literature and machine learning methods, and were subsequently analyzed using multilevel negative binomial models. RESULTS Fear-related language, longer messages, and including images (e.g. photos, gif, or videos) were the strongest predictors of retweet counts. These findings were similar for messages authored by HIV experts, and also messages retransmitted by experts, but created by nonexperts (e.g. celebrities or politicians). CONCLUSIONS Fear appeals affect how much HIV messages spread on Twitter, as do structural characteristics, like the length of the tweet and inclusion of images. A set of five data-driven recommendations for increasing message spread is derived and discussed in the context of current centers for disease control and prevention social media guidelines.
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Effective uses of social media in public health and medicine: a systematic review of systematic reviews. Online J Public Health Inform 2018; 10:e215. [PMID: 30349633 PMCID: PMC6194097 DOI: 10.5210/ojphi.v10i2.8270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research examining the effective uses of social media (SM) in public health
and medicine, especially in the form of systematic reviews (SRs), has grown
considerably in the past decade. To our knowledge, no comprehensive
synthesis of this literature has been conducted to date. Aims and methods To conduct a systematic review of systematic reviews of the benefits and
harms (“effects”) of SM tools and platforms (such as Twitter
and Facebook) in public health and medicine. To perform a synthesis of this
literature and create a ‘living systematic review’. Results Forty-two (42) high-quality SRs were examined. Overall, evidence of
SM’s effectiveness in public health and medicine was judged to be
minimal. However, qualitative benefits for patients are seen in improved
psychosocial support and psychological functioning. Health professionals
benefited from better peer-to-peer communication and lifelong learning.
Harms on all groups include the impact of SM on mental health, privacy,
confidentiality and information reliability. Conclusions A range of negatives and positives of SM in public health and medicine are
seen in the SR literature but definitive conclusions cannot be made at this
time. Clearly better research designs are needed to measure the
effectiveness of social technologies. For ongoing updates, see the wiki
“Effective uses of social media in health: a living systematic review
of systematic reviews”. http://hlwiki.slais.ubc.ca/index.php/Effective_uses_of_social_media_in_healthcare:_a_living_systematic_review_of_reviews
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Jane M, Hagger M, Foster J, Ho S, Pal S. Social media for health promotion and weight management: a critical debate. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:932. [PMID: 30055592 PMCID: PMC6064151 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5837-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2016 an estimated 1.9 billion adults world-wide were either overweight or obese. The health consequences of obesity are responsible for 2.8 million preventable deaths per year. The WHO now considers obesity as a global epidemic and recommends population-wide health promotion strategies to address this issue. Weight gain is caused by increased energy intake and physical inactivity, so treatment should focus on changes to behaviour regarding diet and physical activity. Discussion The WHO has also recognised the importance of social resources as a valuable agent for behaviour change in health promotion. Social resources are translated at the community level as support provided by significant others such as family, partners and peers, in the form of information, material aid and encouragement. Social support has been shown to improve health and well-being, whereas social isolation has been shown to have a negative impact on health outcomes. Social support provided by peers has been shown to be a useful strategy to employ in weight management programmes. The documented increased use of ICT and social media has presented health promoters with a potentially useful medium to increase social support for weight management. Conclusion While the use of social media for health promotion is an emerging field of investigation, preliminary research suggests that it increases participant engagement, and may provide a cost-effective tool to provide social support for individuals participating in weight management programmes. With stringent privacy protocols in place, social media may be a useful, cost-effective accompaniment to multifactorial weight management programmes. However more research is needed to identify how to make the best use of social media as health promotion tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Jane
- Curtin University School of Public Health, Perth, Australia
| | - Martin Hagger
- Curtin University School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Perth, Australia
| | - Jonathan Foster
- Curtin University School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Perth, Australia.,Health Department of WA, Neurosciences Unit, Perth, Australia
| | - Suleen Ho
- Curtin University School of Public Health, Perth, Australia
| | - Sebely Pal
- Curtin University School of Public Health, Perth, Australia. .,School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia.
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Ayala G, Santos G, Arreola S, Garner A, Makofane K, Howell S. Blue-Ribbon Boys: factors associated with PrEP use, ART use and undetectable viral load among gay app users across six regions of the world. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 21 Suppl 5:e25130. [PMID: 30033536 PMCID: PMC6055118 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gay social networking apps have grown in popularity among men who have sex with men offering opportunities for rapid and confidential collection of vital data as well as social connection. The goal of our study was to explore factors associated with utilization of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral treatment (ART), and self-reported undetectable viral load (UVL) using data collected by the gay social networking app Hornet. METHODS In 2016, the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) partnered with Hornet, to support an educational initiative called Blue-Ribbon Boys. One aspect of the initiative prompts Hornet users to answer a short series of yes-no questions about their sexual health. Using survey responses, we evaluated factors associated with PrEP and ART use as well as self-reported UVL by fitting separate multivariable generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS In total, 16,008 unique Hornet users started the survey, of which 12,126 (76%) provided sufficient data for analyses. Of the 10,774 HIV-negative men, 13% reported PrEP use in the past year. PrEP use was associated with a recent sexually transmitted infection (STI) test or treatment (aOR = 2.19, CI = 1.49 to 3.21); and taking steps to protect oneself from HIV (aOR = 1.41, CI = 1.13 to 1.76). Among HIV-positive Hornet users (n = 1243), ART use was associated with older age (each year increase aOR = 1.02, CI = 1.01 to 1.04), a recent STI test or treatment (aOR = 4.54, CI = 2.65 to 7.78); and awareness of unlikely HIV transmission with UVL (aOR = 1.53, CI = 1.03 to 2.26). UVL was associated with older age (each year increase aOR = 1.03, CI = 1.01 to 1.04), a recent STI test or treatment (aOR = 4.84, CI = 2.74 to 8.55), and awareness of unlikely HIV transmission with UVL (aOR = 1.98, CI = 1.37 to 2.85). CONCLUSIONS Study findings underscore the importance of STI testing and treatment as well as information about HIV transmissibility for encouraging PrEP and ART use. Our findings also reveal age disparities, which can undermine incidence reduction among gay men. Gay social networking apps can be effectively used for rapid data collection and sexual health promotion with men who have sex with men. STI testing and treatment programmes offer important opportunities for encouraging PrEP and ART use. Information about HIV transmissibility with consistent ART use should be incorporated into prevention messaging tailored to various age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Ayala
- The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF)OaklandCAUSA
| | - Glenn‐Milo Santos
- University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- San Francisco Department of Public HealthSan FranciscoCAUSA
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Ramo DE, Thrul J, Delucchi KL, Hall S, Ling PM, Belohlavek A, Prochaska JJ. A randomized controlled evaluation of the tobacco status project, a Facebook intervention for young adults. Addiction 2018; 113:10.1111/add.14245. [PMID: 29797621 PMCID: PMC6761032 DOI: 10.1111/add.14245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To test the efficacy of the Tobacco Status Project (TSP) Facebook smoking cessation intervention for young adults relative to referral to an on-line program on biochemically verified 7-day abstinence from smoking. DESIGN Two-group parallel randomized controlled trial, comparing TSP (n = 251) to on-line control (n = 249) with follow-up to 12 months. SETTING On-line, throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS Young adult cigarette smokers (mean age 21 years; 73% white, 55% female, 87% daily smokers). INTERVENTIONS AND COMPARATOR TSP provided private Facebook groups tailored to stage of change to quit smoking, daily contacts, weekly live counseling sessions, and for those ready to quit, six cognitive behavioral therapy counseling sessions. Some TSP groups were assigned randomly to receive a monetary incentive for engagement. Control provided referral to the National Cancer Institute Smokefree.gov website. MEASUREMENTS PRIMARY OUTCOME: Biochemically verified 7-day abstinence over 12 months. SECONDARY OUTCOMES Post-treatment (3-month) abstinence; reported abstinence, quit attempt, reduction in smoking, readiness to quit smoking over 12 months. FINDINGS Verified 7-day abstinence was not significantly different for intervention compared with control over 1 year: month 3 (8.3 versus 3.2%), 6 (6.2 versus 6.0%), and 12 (5.9 versus 10.0%); odds ratio (OR) = 1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.23, 4.97; retention = 71%. There was an effect at 3 months (OR = 2.52; CI = 1.56, 4.04; P < 0.0001). There were no 12-month treatment effects for reported abstinence (P = 0.746), reduction in smoking by 50% or more (P = 0.533), likelihood of having made a quit attempt (P = 0.387) or stage of change over time (0.968). Participants in TSP engaged more and rated the intervention more favorably than those in the control condition. CONCLUSIONS Compared with referral to a smoking cessation website, a novel USA-focused Facebook smoking cessation intervention did not improve abstinence from smoking over 1 year, but increased abstinence at the end of treatment and was engaging to participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle E Ramo
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Johannes Thrul
- Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin L Delucchi
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sharon Hall
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pamela M Ling
- Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alina Belohlavek
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Judith J Prochaska
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Booth RG, Allen BN, Bray Jenkyn KM, Li L, Shariff SZ. Youth Mental Health Services Utilization Rates After a Large-Scale Social Media Campaign: Population-Based Interrupted Time-Series Analysis. JMIR Ment Health 2018; 5:e27. [PMID: 29625954 PMCID: PMC5938692 DOI: 10.2196/mental.8808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the uptake of mass media campaigns, their overall impact remains unclear. Since 2011, a Canadian telecommunications company has operated an annual, large-scale mental health advocacy campaign (Bell Let's Talk) focused on mental health awareness and stigma reduction. In February 2012, the campaign began to explicitly leverage the social media platform Twitter and incented participation from the public by promising donations of Can $0.05 for each interaction with a campaign-specific username (@Bell_LetsTalk). OBJECTIVE The intent of the study was to examine the impact of this 2012 campaign on youth outpatient mental health services in the province of Ontario, Canada. METHODS Monthly outpatient mental health visits (primary health care and psychiatric services) were obtained for the Ontario youth aged 10 to 24 years (approximately 5.66 million visits) from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015. Interrupted time series, autoregressive integrated moving average modeling was implemented to evaluate the impact of the campaign on rates of monthly outpatient mental health visits. A lagged intervention date of April 1, 2012 was selected to account for the delay required for a patient to schedule and attend a mental health-related physician visit. RESULTS The inclusion of Twitter into the 2012 Bell Let's Talk campaign was temporally associated with an increase in outpatient mental health utilization for both males and females. Within primary health care environments, female adolescents aged 10 to 17 years experienced a monthly increase in the mental health visit rate from 10.2/1000 in April 2006 to 14.1/1000 in April 2015 (slope change of 0.094 following campaign, P<.001), whereas males of the same age cohort experienced a monthly increase from 9.7/1000 to 9.8/1000 (slope change of 0.052 following campaign, P<.001). Outpatient psychiatric services visit rates also increased for both male and female adolescents aged 10 to 17 years post campaign (slope change of 0.005, P=.02; slope change of 0.003, P=.005, respectively). For young adults aged 18 to 24 years, females who used primary health care experienced the most significant increases in mental health visit rates from 26.5/1000 in April 2006 to 29.2/1000 in April 2015 (slope change of 0.17 following campaign, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS The 2012 Bell Let's Talk campaign was temporally associated with an increase in the rate of mental health visits among Ontarian youth. Furthermore, there appears to be an upward trend of youth mental health utilization in the province of Ontario, especially noticeable in females who accessed primary health care services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Booth
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Britney N Allen
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Lihua Li
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, London, ON, Canada
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Freeman JL, Caldwell PHY, Bennett PA, Scott KM. How Adolescents Search for and Appraise Online Health Information: A Systematic Review. J Pediatr 2018; 195:244-255.e1. [PMID: 29398062 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the evidence concerning whether and how adolescents search for online health information and the extent to which they appraise the credibility of information they retrieve. STUDY DESIGN A systematic search of online databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC) was performed. Reference lists of included papers were searched manually for additional articles. Included were studies on whether and how adolescents searched for and appraised online health information, where adolescent participants were aged 13-18 years. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the findings. RESULTS Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. In line with the research questions, 2 key concepts were identified within the papers: whether and how adolescents search for online health information, and the extent to which adolescents appraise online health information. Four themes were identified regarding whether and how adolescents search for online health information: use of search engines, difficulties in selecting appropriate search strings, barriers to searching, and absence of searching. Four themes emerged concerning the extent to which adolescents appraise the credibility of online health information: evaluation based on Web site name and reputation, evaluation based on first impression of Web site, evaluation of Web site content, and absence of a sophisticated appraisal strategy. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents are aware of the varying quality of online health information. Strategies used by individuals for searching and appraising online health information differ in their sophistication. It is important to develop resources to enhance search and appraisal skills and to collaborate with adolescents to ensure that such resources are appropriate for them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Karen M Scott
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Australia.
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Knight R, Karamouzian M, Salway T, Gilbert M, Shoveller J. Online interventions to address HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections among young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men: a systematic review. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 20. [PMID: 29091340 PMCID: PMC5810340 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Globally, young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to experience disproportionately high rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood‐borne infections (STBBIs). As such, there are strong public health imperatives to evaluate innovative prevention, treatment and care interventions, including online interventions. This study reviewed and assessed the status of published research (e.g. effectiveness; acceptability; differential effects across subgroups) involving online interventions that address HIV/STBBIs among young gbMSM. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to identify relevant English‐language publications from inception to November 2016. Studies that assessed an online intervention regarding the prevention, care, or treatment of HIV/STBBIs were included. Studies with <50% gbMSM or with a mean age ≥30 years were excluded. Results Of the 3465 articles screened, 17 studies met inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies assessed interventions at the “proof‐of‐concept” phase, while one study assessed an intervention in the dissemination phase. All of the studies focused on behavioural or knowledge outcomes at the individual level (e.g. condom use, testing behaviour), and all but one reported a statistically significant effect on ≥1 primary outcomes. Twelve studies described theory‐based interventions. Twelve were conducted in the United States, with study samples focusing mainly on White, African‐American and/or Latino populations; the remaining were conducted in Hong Kong, Peru, China, and Thailand. Thirteen studies included gay and bisexual men; four studies did not assess sexual identity. Two studies reported including both HIV+ and HIV− participants, and all but one study included one or more measure of socio‐economic status. Few studies reported on the differential intervention effects by socio‐economic status, sexual identity, race or serostatus. Conclusion While online interventions show promise at addressing HIV/STBBI among young gbMSM, to date, little emphasis has been placed on assessing: (i) potential differential effects of interventions across subgroups of young gbMSM; (ii) effectiveness studies of interventions in the dissemination phase; and (iii) on some “key” populations of young gbMSM (e.g. those who are: transgender, from low‐income settings and/or HIV positive). Future research that unpacks the potentially distinctive experiences of particular subgroups with “real world” interventions is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rod Knight
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mohammad Karamouzian
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Travis Salway
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mark Gilbert
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jean Shoveller
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Saxena RC, Lehmann AE, Hight AE, Darrow K, Remenschneider A, Kozin ED, Lee DJ. Social media utilization in the cochlear implant community. J Am Acad Audiol 2018; 26:197-204. [PMID: 25690778 DOI: 10.3766/jaaa.26.2.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than 200,000 individuals worldwide have received a cochlear implant (CI). Social media Websites may provide a paramedical community for those who possess or are interested in a CI. The utilization patterns of social media by the CI community, however, have not been thoroughly investigated. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate participation of the CI community in social media Websites. RESEARCH DESIGN We conducted a systematic survey of online CI-related social media sources. Using standard search engines, the search terms cochlear implant, auditory implant, forum, and blog identified relevant social media platforms and Websites. Social media participation was quantified by indices of membership and posts. STUDY SAMPLE Social media sources included Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and online forums. Each source was assigned one of six functional categories based on its description. INTERVENTION No intervention was performed. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We conducted all online searches in February 2014. Total counts of each CI-related social media source were summed, and descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS More than 350 sources were identified, including 60 Facebook groups, 36 Facebook pages, 48 Twitter accounts, 121 YouTube videos, 13 forums, and 95 blogs. The most active online communities were Twitter accounts, which totaled 35,577 members, and Facebook groups, which totaled 17,971 members. CI users participated in Facebook groups primarily for general information/support (68%). Online forums were the next most active online communities by membership. The largest forum contained approximately 9,500 topics with roughly 127,000 posts. CI users primarily shared personal stories through blogs (92%), Twitter (71%), and YouTube (62%). CONCLUSIONS The CI community engages in the use of a wide range of online social media sources. The CI community uses social media for support, advocacy, rehabilitation information, research endeavors, and sharing of personal experiences. Future studies are needed to investigate how social media Websites may be harnessed to improve patient-provider relationships and potentially used to augment patient education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev C Saxena
- Department of Otolaryngology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Ashton E Lehmann
- Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - A Ed Hight
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA
| | - Keith Darrow
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA
| | - Aaron Remenschneider
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA
| | - Elliott D Kozin
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA
| | - Daniel J Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA
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Lim MSC, Wright CJC, Carrotte ER, Pedrana AE. Reach, engagement, and effectiveness: a systematic review of evaluation methodologies used in health promotion via social networking sites. Health Promot J Austr 2018; 27:187-197. [PMID: 27719734 DOI: 10.1071/he16057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Issue addressed Social networking sites (SNS) are increasingly popular platforms for health promotion. Advancements in SNS health promotion require quality evidence; however, interventions are often not formally evaluated. This study aims to describe evaluation practices used in SNS health promotion. Methods A systematic review was undertaken of Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Communication and Mass Media Complete, and Cochrane Library databases. Articles published between 2006 and 2013 describing any health promotion intervention delivered using SNS were included. Results Forty-seven studies were included. There were two main evaluation approaches: closed designs (n=23), which used traditional research designs and formal recruitment procedures; and open designs (n=19), which evaluated the intervention in a real-world setting, allowing unknown SNS users to interact with the content without enrolling in research. Closed designs were unable to assess reach and engagement beyond their research sample. Open designs often relied on weaker study designs with no use of objective outcome measures and yielded low response rates. Conclusions Barriers to evaluation included low participation rates, high attrition, unknown representativeness and lack of comparison groups. Acceptability was typically assessed among those engaged with the intervention, with limited population data available to accurately assess intervention reach. Few studies were able to assess uptake of the intervention in a real-life setting while simultaneously assessing effectiveness of interventions with research rigour. So what? Through use of quasi-experimental or well designed before-after evaluations, in combination with detailed engagement metrics, it is possible to balance assessment of effectiveness and reach to evaluate SNS health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan S C Lim
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Cassandra J C Wright
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Elise R Carrotte
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Alisa E Pedrana
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
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Shi J, Poorisat T, Salmon CT. The Use of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) in Health Communication Campaigns: Review and Recommendations. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2018; 33:49-56. [PMID: 27858464 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2016.1242035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a rapid increase in the use of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) in health communication campaigns seeking to achieve an ambitious range of health-related impacts. This article provides a review of 40 studies and research protocols, with a focus on two key factors that differentiate SNSs from more traditional health communication approaches of the past. The first is the potential dualism between message sender and receiver, in which receivers become receiver-sources who forward and amplify the content and reach of health messages. The second is the potential dualism between message and message impact, in which the act of forwarding and modifying messages by receiver-sources itself becomes a measure of message impact. Each of these dualisms has implications for the design and evaluation of contemporary health communication campaigns. The review concludes with a series of observations and recommendations for future health communication research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Shi
- a Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information , Nanyang Technological University
| | - Thanomwong Poorisat
- a Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information , Nanyang Technological University
| | - Charles T Salmon
- a Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information , Nanyang Technological University
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Internet and social media use for antibiotic-related information seeking: Findings from a survey among adult population in Italy. Int J Med Inform 2017; 111:131-139. [PMID: 29425624 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Internet represents an increasingly common source of health-related information. Internet and Social Media can be used to promote a prudent use of antibiotics. OBJECTIVE To establish the extent of Internet and Social Media use to search for antibiotic related information and the potential implications in health care among adult population in Italy. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2017, among a sample of parents of public school students. A 2-stage cluster sample design was planned. An informed consent form and a questionnaire were given to selected students to deliver to their parents. The questionnaire included questions on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward antibiotic use, and questions about Internet use to gather information about antibiotics. RESULTS A total of 913 parents completed the questionnaire, with a 67.4% response rate; 22.1% did not know when it was appropriate to use antibiotics. 32.3% of parents reported self-medication with antibiotics. 73.4% of respondents used the Internet to search for information about antibiotic use. Among social networks users, 46.5% reported the use of these media to get information about antibiotics and 45% of instant messaging app users share information about antibiotics. The results of the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that Internet use to search for antibiotic-related information was higher among females, younger subjects, with a higher level of education, in those who reported self-medication with antibiotics and in those who needed additional information on side effects of antibiotics from the GP compared with those who did not need any additional information. Internet use was significantly less likely in participants with cardiovascular diseases and cancer compared with those without chronic conditions, and in those who reported to strongly agree/agree, or were uncertain about antibiotic use without a GP prescription, compared with those who reported to be disagree/strongly disagree. CONCLUSIONS Internet and social media are widely used for antibiotic-related information seeking in the Italian population. Health organizations must consider social media within their communication strategy to promote the appropriate Web use for antibiotic-related information seeking in the general population, although more evidence is needed regarding the optimal mix of communication interventions.
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Social Media Use and Sexual Risk Reduction Behavior Among Minority Youth: Seeking Safe Sex Information. Nurs Res 2017; 66:368-377. [PMID: 28858145 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual health is an important area of study-particularly for minority youth and youth living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. OBJECTIVES The purpose of the research was to examine the sources of sexual health information associated with youth adopting sexual risk reduction behaviors. METHODS Data collection took place in a small city in the Northeastern United States using cross-sectional behavioral surveys and modified venue-based sampling. Participants included 249 African American and Latino youth aged 13-24. Participants reported their sources of information about contraception and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted disease, such as TV/movies, parents, social media; their intentions to have sex; and condom and contraception use during their last sexual activity. Social media use, past pregnancy experience, past sexual history, age, and gender were also measured. Standard tests of bivariate association (chi-square and F tests) were used to examine initial associations between sexual risk reduction behavior and exposure to sexual risk reduction information on social media. Logistic regression models were used to test multivariate relationships between information sources and sexual risk reduction behavior. RESULTS Youth who were exposed to sexual health messages on social media were 2.69 times (p < .05) and 2.49 times (p < .08) more likely to have used contraception or a condom at last intercourse, respectively. Parents, schools, or traditional media as information sources were not significantly associated with contractive use or condom use at last intercourse. DISCUSSION Youth sexual behavior is increasingly informed by social media messages. Health practitioners should utilize social media as an important health promotion tool.
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Yeo TED, Chu TH. Sharing "Sex Secrets" on Facebook: A Content Analysis of Youth Peer Communication and Advice Exchange on Social Media about Sexual Health and Intimate Relations. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2017; 22:753-762. [PMID: 28796578 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2017.1347217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Social media present opportunities and challenges for sexual health communication among young people. This study is one of the first to examine the actual use of Facebook for peer communication of sexual health and intimate relations. Content analysis of 2186 anonymous posts in a "sex secrets" Facebook page unofficially affiliated with a Hong Kong University shows gender balance among posters, inclusiveness of sexual minorities, and frequent sharing of personal experiences in storytelling or advice seeking. The findings illuminate young people's health concerns regarding condom use, avoiding pain, birth control, sexually transmitted infections, and body appearance. Relational concerns found entailed sexual practices, expectations, and needs-predominantly within dating relationships and include not wanting to have sex. Supportive communication among users was prevalent. A majority of posts involved advice solicitation in the form of request for opinion or information (30.38%), request for advice (13.68%), situation comparison (5.40%), or problem disclosure (9.97%). Comments to the advice-seeking posts were mostly supportive (69.49%); nonsupportive responses (unsolicited messages and gratuitous humor) were concentrated with ambiguous advice solicitations. These findings hold implications for understanding self-disclosure of intimate concerns within social networks, and attuning sexual health intervention on social media to young people's actual needs and advice preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien Ee Dominic Yeo
- a Department of Communication Studies , Hong Kong Baptist University , Hong Kong , China
| | - Tsz Hang Chu
- a Department of Communication Studies , Hong Kong Baptist University , Hong Kong , China
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Sun WH, Wong CKH, Wong WCW. A Peer-Led, Social Media-Delivered, Safer Sex Intervention for Chinese College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2017; 19:e284. [PMID: 28793980 PMCID: PMC5569248 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.7403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The peer-led, social media-delivered intervention is an emerging method in sexual health promotion. However, no research has yet investigated its effectiveness as compared with other online channels or in an Asian population. Objective The objective of this study is to compare a peer-led, social media-delivered, safer sex intervention with a sexual health website. Both conditions target Chinese college students in Hong Kong. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a peer-led, safer sex Facebook group as the intervention and an existing online sexual health website as the control. The intervention materials were developed with peer input and followed the information-motivation-behavioral skills model; the intervention was moderated by peer educators. The participants filled out the online questionnaires before and after the 6-week intervention period. Outcome evaluations included safer sex attitudes, behavioral skills, and behaviors, while process evaluation focused on online experience, online-visiting frequency, and online engagement. The effect of online-visiting frequency and online engagement on outcome variables was investigated. Results Of 196 eligible participants—100 in the control group and 96 in the intervention group—who joined the study, 2 (1.0%) control participants joined the Facebook group and 24 of the remaining 194 participants (12.4%) were lost to follow-up. For the process evaluation, participants in the intervention group reported more satisfying online experiences (P<.001) and a higher level of online-visiting frequency (P<.001). They also had more positive comments when compared with the control group. For outcome evaluation, within-group analysis showed significant improvement in condom use attitude (P=.02) and behavioral skills (P<.001) in the intervention group, but not in the control group. No significant between-group difference was found. After adjusting for demographic data, increased online-visiting frequency was associated with better contraceptive use behavioral intention (P=.05), better behavioral skills (P=.02), and more frequent condom use (P=.04). Conclusions A peer-led, social media-delivered, safer sex intervention was found to be feasible and effective in improving attitudes toward condom use and behavioral skills, but was not significantly more effective than a website. Future research may focus on the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this popular method, as well as the potential cultural differences of using social media between different countries. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR): ChiCTR-IOR-16009495; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=16234 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6s0Fc2L9T)
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Han Sun
- Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, China (Hong Kong)
| | - Carlos King Ho Wong
- Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, China (Hong Kong)
| | - William Chi Wai Wong
- Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, China (Hong Kong)
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Mangine C, Kukk A, Noormets H, Jänes J, Rüütel K. Internet recruitment for sexually transmitted infection screening among men who have sex with men in Eastern Europe. Int J STD AIDS 2017; 29:237-243. [PMID: 28776464 DOI: 10.1177/0956462417722477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Men who have sex with men (MSM) face negative health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at disproportionate rates. Nonetheless, infections may be underestimated due to limited uptake in testing. To increase testing, screening interventions have been utilized in the past; however, some have resulted in limitations such as poor recruitment. To increase recruitment for screening of MSM in Estonia, two different recruitment strategies were examined. Recruitment was separated into two promotional periods: passive and active. Passive consisted of banners on gay-related sites, while active also placed banners on websites to the general public such as Facebook linked to specific thematic pages and users self-identifying as men. More men were recruited during the active period of five weeks (n = 134) than the passive period of 46 weeks (n = 126). Active promotion was so successful in that the number of home sampling kit orders far exceeded what was projected, forcing promotion to the general public to be closed after 13 days. Recruiting MSM through a combination of general public and gay-related websites and applications has the ability to quickly recruit for testing interventions. This method can recruit a large number in a short amount of time; therefore, a budget must be planned accordingly to support testing for all that participate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Mangine
- 1 Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Aigi Kukk
- 2 Communication Department, National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Helen Noormets
- 2 Communication Department, National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia
| | | | - Kristi Rüütel
- 4 Infectious Diseases and Drug monitoring Department, National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia
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Ruppel EH, Karpman HE, Delk CE, Merryman M. Online maternity information seeking among lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. Midwifery 2017; 48:18-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2017.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gabarron E, Luque LF, Schopf TR, Lau AY, Armayones M, Wynn R, Serrano JA. Impact of Facebook Ads for Sexual Health Promotion Via an Educational Web App. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF E-HEALTH AND MEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS 2017. [DOI: 10.4018/ijehmc.2017040102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Background: The authors present a case study of a public health campaign, including social media, and aiming at maximizing the use of web app on sexual health. Objective: To analyze the impact of a Facebook fan page, Facebook advertisements, and posters to maximize the number of visits to the educational web app. Methods: The campaign is assessed for 1 year, using data tracked through Facebook statistics and Google Analytics. Results: The site had 3670 visits (10.1 visitors/day, 95%CI 8.7-11.4). During the one-month Facebook Ads campaign, the site received 1263 visits (42.1 visitors/day, 95%CI 37.3-46.9), multiplying by over four the average number of visitors/day. 34.4% of all the participants were recruited during the one-month Facebook ads campaign. Conclusions: Facebook advertisements seem to be a good tool to promote an educational web app on sexual health targeting youth, and to reach a huge number of users rapidly and at a low cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elia Gabarron
- Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway & Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Luis Fernandez Luque
- Salumedia Tecnologias, Dos Hermanas, Spain & NORUT, Northern Research Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Thomas Roger Schopf
- Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Annie Y.S. Lau
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Manuel Armayones
- Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain & PSINET, Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rolf Wynn
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway & Division of Mental Health and Addictions, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - J. Artur Serrano
- Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway & Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Condran B, Gahagan J, Isfeld-Kiely H. A scoping review of social media as a platform for multi-level sexual health promotion interventions. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN SEXUALITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3138/cjhs.261-a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
While social media can present unique opportunities for sexual health promotion interventions that target social ecological levels beyond the intrapersonal, health promotion as a discipline has not yet fully realized the potential of these platforms. The following scoping review focuses on the use of social media in the delivery of sexual health interventions targeting the interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy levels of the social ecological model for change. A total of 398 articles on social media-based sexual health promotion interventions were identified. From this, 67 articles were reviewed in-depth, and 24 met the criteria for inclusion. Of these, four articles described interventions that focused on changing the knowledge, attitudes or behaviour of participants at the intrapersonal level. The remaining 20 articles targeted levels beyond the intrapersonal, with an emphasis on promoting change at broader levels to create environments that support sustained behavioural change. The examples provided by the 24 studies reviewed in this scoping review demonstrate how social media can offer unique health promotion tools for creating social networks and communities to support or deliver intervention activities, as well as for connecting individuals with appropriate and contextually responsive sexual health services. This scoping review provides valuable insights into potential strategies for developing and conducting multi-level social media-based sexual health promotion interventions and identifies areas where outcome and evaluative data are needed to demonstrate impact and potential for scale-up of intervention strategies.
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Sastry S, Lovari A. Communicating the Ontological Narrative of Ebola: An Emerging Disease in the Time of "Epidemic 2.0". HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2017; 32:329-338. [PMID: 27232446 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2016.1138380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we critically analyze the implications of "Epidemic 2.0"-specifically the formative role of social media (as an exemplar of Web 2.0 technology) in disseminating information during epidemics. We use a narrative analysis framework to study the Ebola-related messaging on the official Facebook pages of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the wake of the recent epidemic in Western Africa. Using as our corpus all the messages on these pages between the period of July 1 and October 15, 2014, our analysis traces the development of an ontological Ebola narrative: a specific, historically contingent, ideological plot that reaffirms contemporary Western anxieties around emerging infections. Our analysis focuses on the evolution of this ontological narrative from a) consulting and containment, to b) an international concern, and c) the possibility of an epidemic in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaunak Sastry
- a Department of Communication , University of Cincinnati
| | - Alessandro Lovari
- b Department of Political Sciences, Communication Sciences and Information Engineering , University of Sassari , Italy
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Khawaja ZUA, Ali KI, Khan S. Using Facebook for Sexual Health Social Marketing in Conservative Asian Countries: A Systematic Examination. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2017; 22:111-123. [PMID: 28103152 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2016.1222031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Social marketing related to sexual health is a problematic task, especially in religiously and/or culturally conservative countries. Social media presents a possible alternative channel for sexual health efforts to disseminate information and engage new users. In an effort to understand how well sexual health campaigns and organizations have leveraged this opportunity, this study presents a systematic examination of ongoing Facebook-based sexual health efforts in conservative Asian countries. It was discovered that out of hundreds of sexual health organizations identified in the region, less than half had created a Facebook page. Of those that had, only 31 were found to have posted sexual health-relevant content at least once a month. Many of these 31 organizations were also unsuccessful in maintaining regular official and user activity on their page. In order to assess the quality of the Facebook pages as Web-based information resources, the sexual health-related official activity on each page was analyzed for information (a) value, (b) reliability, (c) currency, and (d) system accessibility. User responsiveness to official posts on the pages was also used to discuss the potential of Facebook as a sexual health information delivery platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zain-Ul-Abdin Khawaja
- a Suleman Dawood School of Business , Lahore University of Management Sciences , Lahore , Pakistan
| | - Khudejah Iqbal Ali
- a Suleman Dawood School of Business , Lahore University of Management Sciences , Lahore , Pakistan
| | - Shanze Khan
- a Suleman Dawood School of Business , Lahore University of Management Sciences , Lahore , Pakistan
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Jawad A, Jawad I, Alwan NA. Interventions using social networking sites to promote contraception in women of reproductive age. Hippokratia 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aalaa Jawad
- Health Education England; Public Health Training Programme; Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DN London UK
| | - Issrah Jawad
- Queen Charlotte's Hospital; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Du Cane Road London UK W12 OHS
| | - Nisreen A Alwan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton; Academic Unit of Primary Care and Population Sciences; Southampton General Hospital Southampton Hampshire UK SO16 6YD
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Rice LJ, Halbert CH. Social Networks Across Common Cancer Types: The Evidence, Gaps, and Areas of Potential Impact. Adv Cancer Res 2017; 133:95-128. [PMID: 28052823 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Although the association between social context and health has been demonstrated previously, much less is known about network interactions by gender, race/ethnicity, and sociodemographic characteristics. Given the variability in cancer outcomes among groups, research on these relationships may have important implications for addressing cancer health disparities. We examined the literature on social networks and cancer across the cancer continuum among adults. Relevant studies (N=16) were identified using two common databases: PubMed and Google Scholar. Most studies used a prospective cohort study design (n=9), included women only (n=11), and were located in the United States (n=14). Seventy-five percent of the studies reviewed used a validated scale or validated items to measure social networks (n=12). Only one study examined social network differences by race, 57.1% (n=8) focused on breast cancer alone, 14.3% (n=2) explored colorectal cancer or multiple cancers simultaneously, and 7.1% (n=1) only prostate cancer. More than half of the studies included multiple ethnicities in the sample, while one study included only low-income subjects. Despite findings of associations between social networks and cancer survival, risk, and screening, none of the studies utilized social networks as a mechanism for reducing health disparities; however, such an approach has been utilized for infectious disease control. Social networks and the support provided within these networks have important implications for health behaviors and ultimately cancer disparities. This review serves as the first step toward dialog on social networks as a missing component in the social determinants of cancer disparities literature that could move the needle upstream to target adverse cancer outcomes among vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Rice
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
| | - C H Halbert
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
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Social Media Mining for Toxicovigilance: Automatic Monitoring of Prescription Medication Abuse from Twitter. Drug Saf 2016; 39:231-40. [PMID: 26748505 PMCID: PMC4749656 DOI: 10.1007/s40264-015-0379-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prescription medication overdose is the fastest growing drug-related problem in the USA. The growing nature of this problem necessitates the implementation of improved monitoring strategies for investigating the prevalence and patterns of abuse of specific medications. OBJECTIVES Our primary aims were to assess the possibility of utilizing social media as a resource for automatic monitoring of prescription medication abuse and to devise an automatic classification technique that can identify potentially abuse-indicating user posts. METHODS We collected Twitter user posts (tweets) associated with three commonly abused medications (Adderall(®), oxycodone, and quetiapine). We manually annotated 6400 tweets mentioning these three medications and a control medication (metformin) that is not the subject of abuse due to its mechanism of action. We performed quantitative and qualitative analyses of the annotated data to determine whether posts on Twitter contain signals of prescription medication abuse. Finally, we designed an automatic supervised classification technique to distinguish posts containing signals of medication abuse from those that do not and assessed the utility of Twitter in investigating patterns of abuse over time. RESULTS Our analyses show that clear signals of medication abuse can be drawn from Twitter posts and the percentage of tweets containing abuse signals are significantly higher for the three case medications (Adderall(®): 23 %, quetiapine: 5.0 %, oxycodone: 12 %) than the proportion for the control medication (metformin: 0.3 %). Our automatic classification approach achieves 82 % accuracy overall (medication abuse class recall: 0.51, precision: 0.41, F measure: 0.46). To illustrate the utility of automatic classification, we show how the classification data can be used to analyze abuse patterns over time. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that social media can be a crucial resource for obtaining abuse-related information for medications, and that automatic approaches involving supervised classification and natural language processing hold promises for essential future monitoring and intervention tasks.
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Sinnenberg L, Buttenheim AM, Padrez K, Mancheno C, Ungar L, Merchant RM. Twitter as a Tool for Health Research: A Systematic Review. Am J Public Health 2016; 107:e1-e8. [PMID: 27854532 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers have used traditional databases to study public health for decades. Less is known about the use of social media data sources, such as Twitter, for this purpose. OBJECTIVES To systematically review the use of Twitter in health research, define a taxonomy to describe Twitter use, and characterize the current state of Twitter in health research. SEARCH METHODS We performed a literature search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CINAHL through September 2015. SELECTION CRITERIA We searched for peer-reviewed original research studies that primarily used Twitter for health research. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently screened studies and abstracted data related to the approach to analysis of Twitter data, methodology used to study Twitter, and current state of Twitter research by evaluating time of publication, research topic, discussion of ethical concerns, and study funding source. MAIN RESULTS Of 1110 unique health-related articles mentioning Twitter, 137 met eligibility criteria. The primary approaches for using Twitter in health research that constitute a new taxonomy were content analysis (56%; n = 77), surveillance (26%; n = 36), engagement (14%; n = 19), recruitment (7%; n = 9), intervention (7%; n = 9), and network analysis (4%; n = 5). These studies collectively analyzed more than 5 billion tweets primarily by using the Twitter application program interface. Of 38 potential data features describing tweets and Twitter users, 23 were reported in fewer than 4% of the articles. The Twitter-based studies in this review focused on a small subset of data elements including content analysis, geotags, and language. Most studies were published recently (33% in 2015). Public health (23%; n = 31) and infectious disease (20%; n = 28) were the research fields most commonly represented in the included studies. Approximately one third of the studies mentioned ethical board approval in their articles. Primary funding sources included federal (63%), university (13%), and foundation (6%). CONCLUSIONS We identified a new taxonomy to describe Twitter use in health research with 6 categories. Many data elements discernible from a user's Twitter profile, especially demographics, have been underreported in the literature and can provide new opportunities to characterize the users whose data are analyzed in these studies. Twitter-based health research is a growing field funded by a diversity of organizations. Public health implications. Future work should develop standardized reporting guidelines for health researchers who use Twitter and policies that address privacy and ethical concerns in social media research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Sinnenberg
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Alison M Buttenheim
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Kevin Padrez
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Christina Mancheno
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Lyle Ungar
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Raina M Merchant
- Lauren Sinnenberg, Kevin Padrez, Christina Mancheno, and Raina M. Merchant are with Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lyle Ungar is with the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania. Alison M. Buttenheim is with Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania
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Huang ETY, Williams H, Hocking JS, Lim MS. Safe Sex Messages Within Dating and Entertainment Smartphone Apps: A Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2016; 4:e124. [PMID: 27826133 PMCID: PMC5120239 DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.5760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Smartphone apps provide a new platform for entertainment, information distribution, and health promotion activities, as well as for dating and casual sexual encounters. Previous research has shown high acceptability of sexual health interventions via smartphone apps; however, sexual health promotion apps were infrequently downloaded and underused. Integrating sexual health promotion into established apps might be a more effective method. Objective The objective of our study was to critically review popular sex-related apps and dating apps, in order to ascertain whether they contain any sexual health content. Methods Part 1: In January 2015, we used the term “sexual” to search for free apps in the Apple iTunes store and Android Google Play store, and categorized the sexual health content of the 137 apps identified. Part 2: We used the term “dating” to search for free geosocial-networking apps in the Apple iTunes and Android Google Play stores. The apps were downloaded to test functionality and to determine whether they included sexual health content. Results Part 1: Of the 137 apps identified, 15 (11.0%) had sexual health content and 15 (11.0%) contained messages about sexual assault or violence. The majority of the apps did not contain any sexual health content. Part 2: We reviewed 60 dating apps: 44 (73%) targeting heterosexual users, 9 (15%) targeting men who have sex with men (MSM), 3 (5%) targeting lesbian women, and 4 (7%) for group dating. Only 9 dating apps contained sexual health content, of which 7 targeted MSM. Conclusions The majority of sex-related apps and dating apps contained no sexual health content that could educate users about and remind them of their sexual risks. Sexual health practitioners and public health departments will need to work with app developers to promote sexual health within existing popular apps. For those apps that already contain sexual health messages, further study to investigate the effectiveness of the content is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Tzu-Yen Huang
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Austin Hospital, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia
| | - Henrietta Williams
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Jane S Hocking
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Megan Sc Lim
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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A Review of HIV Prevention Studies that Use Social Networking Sites: Implications for Recruitment, Health Promotion Campaigns, and Efficacy Trials. AIDS Behav 2016; 20:2772-2781. [PMID: 26902295 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1342-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This review describes the use of social networking sites (SNS) in the context of primary prevention of HIV. A review was conducted to assess the published literature for HIV interventions using SNS. Sixteen articles describing twelve interventions were included. SNS were instrumental in recruiting hard-to-reach populations within a short amount of time; were able to reach wide audiences beyond the targeted population for HIV prevention campaigns; and helped to significantly reduce sexual risk behaviors and increase HIV testing. SNS are a viable option to recruit hidden populations, engage the target audience, and disseminate HIV prevention messages. Researchers should use SNS to generate sampling frames that can be used to select participants. Practitioners should use SNS to post images of preventive behavior within health promotion campaigns. Researchers should use multiple SNS platforms to engage participants. As more studies are published using SNS for HIV prevention, meta-analyses will be needed.
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47
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Gabarron E, Wynn R. Use of social media for sexual health promotion: a scoping review. Glob Health Action 2016; 9:32193. [PMID: 27649758 PMCID: PMC5030258 DOI: 10.3402/gha.v9.32193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the World Health Organization recommends educating people on sexual health. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide, online social media potentially represent powerful channels for health promotion, including sexual health. OBJECTIVE To review the scientific literature on the use of online social media for sexual health promotion. DESIGN A search was conducted of scientific and medical databases, and grey literature was also included. The selected publications were classified according to their study designs, sexual health promotion main subject, target audience age, and social media use. RESULTS Fifty-one publications were included; 4 publications presenting randomized intervention studies, 39 non-randomized intervention studies, and 8 observational studies. In 29 publications (56.9%), the main subject of the sexual health promotion was 'general' or to increase STI testing. Thirty publications (58.8%) specifically focused on youth or young people (aged 11-29 years). Fourteen publications that used social media either as unique channels for sexual health promotion interventions or as a tool supporting the sexual health promotion reported an effect on behavior (27%), and two of those studies found a reduction in the number of positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cases linked to social media intervention. Forty-four publications (86.3%) involved Facebook in some way. CONCLUSIONS Although billions of people worldwide actively use social media, we identified only 51 publications on the use of social media for promoting sexual health. About a quarter of the publications have identified promising results, and the evidence for positive effects of social media interventions for promoting sexual health is increasing. There is a need for more studies that explicitly discuss their theoretical framework, and that have strong research designs, in order to further increase the evidence base of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elia Gabarron
- Norwegian Centre for eHealth Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway;
| | - Rolf Wynn
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addictions, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Facebook, Twitter, & Qr codes: An exploratory trial examining the feasibility of social media mechanisms for sample recruitment. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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49
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Carter-Harris L, Bartlett Ellis R, Warrick A, Rawl S. Beyond Traditional Newspaper Advertisement: Leveraging Facebook-Targeted Advertisement to Recruit Long-Term Smokers for Research. J Med Internet Res 2016; 18:e117. [PMID: 27306780 PMCID: PMC4927805 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.5502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Smokers are a stigmatized population, but an important population to reach for the purpose of research. Therefore, innovative recruitment methods are needed that are both cost-effective and efficacious in recruiting this population. Objective The aim of the present article was to evaluate the feasibility of Facebook-targeted advertisement to recruit long-term smokers eligible for lung cancer screening for a descriptive, cross-sectional survey. Methods A social media recruitment campaign was launched using Facebook-targeted advertisement to target age and keywords related to tobacco smoking in the Facebook users profile, interests, and likes. A 3-day newspaper advertisement recruitment campaign was used as a comparison. The study that used both recruitment methods aimed to test the psychometric properties of 4 newly developed lung cancer screening health belief scales. Data were collected via cross-sectional survey methodology using an Web-based survey platform. Results The Facebook-targeted advertisements were viewed 56,621 times over an 18-day campaign in 2015 in the United States. The advertisement campaign yielded 1121 unique clicks to the Web-based survey platform at a cost of $1.51 per completed survey. Of those who clicked through to the study survey platform, 423 (37.7%) consented to participate; 92 (8.2%) dropped out during completion of the survey yielding a final study pool of 331 completed surveys. Recruitment by newspaper advertisement yielded a total of 30 participants in response to a 3-day advertisement campaign; recruitment efficacy resulted in 10 participants/day at $40.80 per completed survey. Participants represented current (n=182; 51%) and former smokers (n=178; 49%) with a mean age of 63.4 years (SD 6.0). Cost of the advertisement campaign was $500 total for the 18-day campaign. Conclusions Recruitment by Facebook was more efficacious and cost-effective compared with newspaper advertisement. Facebook offers a new venue for recruitment into research studies that offer the potential for wider reach at a lower cost while providing privacy and flexibility for potential study participants. The study’s findings extend recent work of other researchers who have demonstrated Facebook’s utility with younger smokers, and Facebook is an effective tool to recruit older smokers. Furthermore, Facebook is a cost-effective alternative to traditional newspaper advertisement offering a new, affordable venue to recruit large numbers of older smokers efficiently.
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Lim MS, Hare JD, Carrotte ER, Dietze PM. An investigation of strategies used in alcohol brand marketing and alcohol-related health promotion on Facebook. Digit Health 2016; 2:2055207616647305. [PMID: 29942554 PMCID: PMC6001269 DOI: 10.1177/2055207616647305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Alcohol brands are incorporating social networking sites (SNS) into their marketing programmes. SNS are also being used to reduce alcohol consumption and harms by health promotion organisations. Marketing via SNS can attempt to influence consumers using a range of strategies from traditional marketing, social media, and behaviour change theory. This study systematically quantifies marketing strategies used by alcohol brands and health promoters on Facebook. Methods We identified the 10 most popular alcohol brands and health promotion organisations in Australia on Facebook and extracted all posts from April 2014. A framework was developed, listing 33 SNS marketing strategies. The frequency of use of each strategy in posts was counted for all profiles. Results The median number of fans of alcohol brands was 189,290 compared with 7562 for health promotion pages. A total of 210 Facebook posts were analysed. Popular marketing strategies included visual attraction, connecting with other organisations, and links to culture and events. Time-specific and day-specific posts and tweets were used more regularly by alcohol brands than health promotion agencies. Conclusions Alcohol brands remain substantially more popular than health promotion organisations, and this difference is likely driven by offline factors rather than specific use of marketing strategies. However, health promotion organisations can learn from the strategies used by popular brands, particularly in the use of time and day-specific content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Sc Lim
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James D Hare
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Elise R Carrotte
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul M Dietze
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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