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Tsiouris A, Mayer A, Wiltink J, Ruckes C, Beutel ME, Zwerenz R. Recruitment of Patients With Cancer for a Clinical Trial Evaluating a Web-Based Psycho-Oncological Intervention: Secondary Analysis of a Diversified Recruitment Strategy in a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Cancer 2023; 9:e42123. [PMID: 38010774 DOI: 10.2196/42123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Participant recruitment poses challenges in psycho-oncological intervention research, such as psycho-oncological web-based intervention studies. Strict consecutive recruitment in clinical settings provides important methodological benefits but is often associated with low response rates and reduced practicability and ecological validity. In addition to preexisting recruitment barriers, the protective measures owing to the COVID-19 pandemic restricted recruitment activities in the clinical setting since March 2020. OBJECTIVE This study aims to outline the recruitment strategy for a randomized controlled trial evaluating the unguided emotion-based psycho-oncological online self-help (epos), which combined traditional and web-based recruitment. METHODS We developed a combined recruitment strategy including traditional (eg, recruitment in clinics, medical practices, cancer counseling centers, and newspapers) and web-based recruitment (Instagram, Facebook, and web pages). Recruitment was conducted between May 2020 and September 2021. Eligible participants for this study were adult patients with any type of cancer who were currently receiving treatment or in posttreatment care. They were also required to have a good command of the German language and access to a device suitable for web-based interventions, such as a laptop or computer. RESULTS We analyzed data from 304 participants who were enrolled in a 17-month recruitment period using various recruitment strategies. Web-based and traditional recruitment strategies led to comparable numbers of participants (151/304, 49.7% vs 153/304, 50.3%). However, web-based recruitment required much less effort. Regardless of the recruitment strategy, the total sample did not accurately represent patients with cancer currently undergoing treatment for major types of cancer in terms of various sociodemographic characteristics, including but not limited to sex and age. However, among the web-recruited study participants, the proportion of female participants was even higher (P<.001), the mean age was lower (P=.005), private internet use was higher (on weekdays: P=.007; on weekends: P=.02), and the number of those who were currently under treatment was higher (P=.048). Other demographic and medical characteristics revealed no significant differences between the groups. The majority of participants registered as self-referred (236/296, 79.7%) instead of having followed the recommendation of or study invitation from a health care professional. CONCLUSIONS The combined recruitment strategy helped overcome general and COVID-19-specific recruitment barriers and provided the targeted participant number. Social media recruitment was the most efficient individual recruitment strategy for participant enrollment. Differences in some demographic and medical characteristics emerged, which should be considered in future analyses. Implications and recommendations for social media recruitment based on personal experiences are presented. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00021144; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00021144. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.1016/j.invent.2021.100410.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Tsiouris
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna Mayer
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jörg Wiltink
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Ruckes
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Trials, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred E Beutel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Zwerenz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Garrido‐Hernansaiz H. The use of online social media for the recruitment of people living with HIV in Spain and Latin America: Lessons from two studies. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2022; 30:e4065-e4073. [PMID: 35318765 PMCID: PMC10078670 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Various barriers make recruiting a difficult task for researchers, especially when recruiting people living with HIV (PLWH) or conducting longitudinal studies. Effective recruitment is crucial to the validity of studies, and in this regard, social media can come to aid, although researchers usually rely on paid advertisements. This paper describes the free social media strategies used for participant recruitment in two studies carried out with PLWH in Spain and Latin America. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study on the validation of two stigma scales with a 1-month retest. Study 2 was a longitudinal study exploring the mental health of newly diagnosed PLWH, with a second assessment after 6 months. Facebook posts, Twitter mentions, and discussion forums were used in both studies. Study 2 also recruited participants through a healthcare centre. In Study 1, 5-month recruitment yielded a sample of 458 PLWH, averaging 91.6 surveys/month and a 43% retention rate. In study 2, recruitment took 16 months, yielding a final sample of 145 newly diagnosed PLWH, 92 from the healthcare centre (5.75 surveys/month) and 53 from social media (3.31 surveys/month), with 95% and 60% retention rates, respectively. Participants in Study 2 did not differ in sociodemographic characteristics by recruitment method, except for the region of origin and financial difficulty (more diverse origin and greater difficulty emerged in social media participants). Greater psychological distress and lower personal and social resources were also found in social media participants. These data indicate that free social media recruitment is a feasible and effective tool for the recruitment of Spanish-speaking PLWH, although it is best used in combination with traditional methods for newly diagnosed PLWH and longitudinal studies.
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Valle CG, Camp LN, Diamond M, Nezami BT, LaRose JG, Pinto BM, Tate DF. Recruitment of young adult cancer survivors into a randomized controlled trial of an mHealth physical activity intervention. Trials 2022; 23:254. [PMID: 35379294 PMCID: PMC8981777 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06148-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Few studies have recruited young adult cancer survivors (YACS) from around the USA into remotely-delivered behavioral clinical trials. This study describes recruitment strategies used in the IMproving Physical Activity after Cancer Treatment (IMPACT) study, a 12-month randomized controlled trial of a mobile physical activity intervention for YACS.
Methods
We conducted formative work to guide development of recruitment messages and used a variety of methods and channels to recruit posttreatment YACS (diagnosed ages 18–39, participating in < 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity). We used targeted social media advertisements, direct mailings, clinical referrals, and phone calls to potentially eligible individuals identified through local tumor registries. We also asked community organizations to share study information and advertized at a national conference for YACS.
Results
The final sample of 280 participants (23% identified as racial/ethnic minority individuals, 18% male, mean 33.4 ± 4.8 years) was recruited over a 14-month period. About 38% of those who completed initial screening online (n = 684) or via telephone (n = 63) were randomized. The top recruitment approach was unpaid social media, primarily via Facebook posts by organizations/friends (45%), while direct mail yielded 40.7% of participants. Other social media (paid advertisements, Twitter), email, clinic referrals, and conference advertisements each yielded 3% or fewer participants. The most cost-effective methods per participant recruited were unpaid social media posts and direct mailings.
Conclusions
The IMPACT trial successfully met enrollment goals using a national strategy to recruit physically inactive YACS. Our approaches can inform recruitment planning for other remotely-delivered intervention trials enrolling YACS.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.govNCT03569605. Registered on 26 June 2018.
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Sharp E, Cook R. Voice Symptoms and Wellbeing in School Teachers in England. J Voice 2022:S0892-1997(22)00034-0. [PMID: 35307220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2022.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Negative psychological factors such as depression and other common mental disorders have been found to be associated with voice problems in teachers. However, there is little research with teachers that investigates the relationship between positive psychological factors such as wellbeing and voice problems. Although negative and positive mental states are on a continuum of psychological health, research suggests negative and positive effects are not necessarily inversely correlated and therefore need to be investigated separately. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS To explore the relationship between voice symptoms and wellbeing in teachers working in primary and secondary schools in England. We hypothesise that as wellbeing increases voice symptoms will decrease. DESIGN Cross sectional study using a self-administered web-based questionnaire conducted with primary and secondary school teachers in England. METHODS The study included 1205 teachers from 608 primary and secondary schools, including state and fee paying, and mainstream and special schools. Voice symptoms were measured using The Voice Symptom Scale and wellbeing was measured using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Information was also obtained on health, lifestyle, sociodemographic and environmental factors. Analysis was conducted using a linear multi-level regression model. RESULTS A statistically significant relationship between voice symptoms and wellbeing was identified (-0.31 95% CI -0.41, -0.20 P =< 0.001). Other factors found to be statistically significantly associated with voice symptoms were age, sex, gastroesophageal reflux, class size, background noise, speaking louder than normal and respiratory infection. Hours teaching per week, deprivation of school, voice training, teaching subject, smoking status and asthma were not associated with voice symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that there is an association between vocal symptoms and wellbeing. Teachers with higher wellbeing had fewer voice symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Sharp
- Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Robert Cook
- Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
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Taylor RM, Fern LA, Barber J, Gibson F, Lea S, Patel N, Morris S, Alvarez-Galvez J, Feltbower R, Hooker L, Martins A, Stark D, Raine R, Whelan JS. Specialist cancer services for teenagers and young adults in England: BRIGHTLIGHT research programme. PROGRAMME GRANTS FOR APPLIED RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.3310/pgfar09120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background
When cancer occurs in teenagers and young adults, the impact is far beyond the physical disease and treatment burden. The effect on psychological, social, educational and other normal development can be profound. In addition, outcomes including improvements in survival and participation in clinical trials are poorer than in younger children and older adults with similar cancers. These unique circumstances have driven the development of care models specifically for teenagers and young adults with cancer, often focused on a dedicated purpose-designed patient environments supported by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in the needs of teenagers and young adults. In England, this is commissioned by NHS England and delivered through 13 principal treatment centres. There is a lack of evaluation that identifies the key components of specialist care for teenagers and young adults, and any improvement in outcomes and costs associated with it.
Objective
To determine whether or not specialist services for teenagers and young adults with cancer add value.
Design
A series of multiple-methods studies centred on a prospective longitudinal cohort of teenagers and young adults who were newly diagnosed with cancer.
Settings
Multiple settings, including an international Delphi study of health-care professionals, qualitative observation in specialist services for teenagers and young adults, and NHS trusts.
Participants
A total of 158 international teenage and young adult experts, 42 health-care professionals from across England, 1143 teenagers and young adults, and 518 caregivers.
Main outcome measures
The main outcomes were specific to each project: key areas of competence for the Delphi survey; culture of teenagers and young adults care in the case study; and unmet needs from the caregiver survey. The primary outcome for the cohort participants was quality of life and the cost to the NHS and patients in the health economic evaluation.
Data sources
Multiple sources were used, including responses from health-care professionals through a Delphi survey and face-to-face interviews, interview data from teenagers and young adults, the BRIGHTLIGHT survey to collect patient-reported data, patient-completed cost records, hospital clinical records, routinely collected NHS data and responses from primary caregivers.
Results
Competencies associated with specialist care for teenagers and young adults were identified from a Delphi study. The key to developing a culture of teenage and young adult care was time and commitment. An exposure variable, the teenagers and young adults Cancer Specialism Scale, was derived, allowing categorisation of patients to three groups, which were defined by the time spent in a principal treatment centre: SOME (some care in a principal treatment centre for teenagers and young adults, and the rest of their care in either a children’s or an adult cancer unit), ALL (all care in a principal treatment centre for teenagers and young adults) or NONE (no care in a principal treatment centre for teenagers and young adults). The cohort study showed that the NONE group was associated with superior quality of life, survival and health status from 6 months to 3 years after diagnosis. The ALL group was associated with faster rates of quality-of-life improvement from 6 months to 3 years after diagnosis. The SOME group was associated with poorer quality of life and slower improvement in quality of life over time. Economic analysis revealed that NHS costs and travel costs were similar between the NONE and ALL groups. The ALL group had greater out-of-pocket expenses, and the SOME group was associated with greater NHS costs and greater expense for patients. However, if caregivers had access to a principal treatment centre for teenagers and young adults (i.e. in the ALL or SOME groups), then they had fewer unmet support and information needs.
Limitations
Our definition of exposure to specialist care using Hospital Episode Statistics-determined time spent in hospital was insufficient to capture the detail of episodes or account for the variation in specialist services. Quality of life was measured first at 6 months, but an earlier measure may have shown different baselines.
Conclusions
We could not determine the added value of specialist cancer care for teenagers and young adults as defined using the teenage and young adult Cancer Specialism Scale and using quality of life as a primary end point. A group of patients (i.e. those defined as the SOME group) appeared to be less advantaged across a range of outcomes. There was variation in the extent to which principal treatment centres for teenagers and young adults were established, and the case study indicated that the culture of teenagers and young adults care required time to develop and embed. It will therefore be important to establish whether or not the evolution in services since 2012–14, when the cohort was recruited, improves quality of life and other patient-reported and clinical outcomes.
Future work
A determination of whether or not the SOME group has similar or improved quality of life and other patient-reported and clinical outcomes in current teenage and young adult service delivery is essential if principal treatment centres for teenagers and young adults are being commissioned to provide ‘joint care’ models with other providers.
Funding
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full in Programme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 9, No. 12. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Taylor
- Centre for Nurse, Midwife and Allied Health Profession Led Research, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Lorna A Fern
- Cancer Division, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- National Cancer Research Institute, London, UK
| | - Julie Barber
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Faith Gibson
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
- Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children’s Health, Illness and Disability, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sarah Lea
- Cancer Division, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Nishma Patel
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Morris
- Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Javier Alvarez-Galvez
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Richard Feltbower
- Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Louise Hooker
- Wessex Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Service, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Ana Martins
- Cancer Division, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Dan Stark
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Rosalind Raine
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jeremy S Whelan
- Cancer Division, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Recruiting Cancer Survivors to a Mobile Mindfulness Intervention in the United States: Exploring Online and Face-to-Face Recruitment Strategies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910136. [PMID: 34639439 PMCID: PMC8508107 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Cancer survivorship research faces several recruitment challenges, such as accrual of a representative sample, as well as participant retention. Our study explores patterns in recruited demographics, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and retention rates for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) utilizing a mobile mindfulness intervention for the well-being of cancer survivors. In total, 123 participants were recruited using traditional and online strategies. Using the chi-square test of independence, recruitment type was compared with demographic and clinical variables, PROs, and retention at Time 2 and Time 3. Online recruitment resulted in almost double the yield compared to traditional recruitment. Online-recruited participants were more often younger, from the continental U.S., Caucasian, diagnosed and treated less recently, at a later stage of diagnosis, diagnosed with blood cancer, without high blood pressure, and with less reported pain. The recruitment method was not significantly associated with retention. Online recruitment may capture a larger, broader survivor sample, but, similar to traditional recruitment, may also lead to selection biases depending on where efforts are focused. Future research should assess the reasons underlying the higher yield and retention rates of online recruitment and should evaluate how to apply a mix of traditional and online recruitment strategies to efficiently accrue samples that are representative of the survivor population.
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Ash GI, Griggs S, Nally LM, Stults-Kolehmainen M, Jeon S, Brandt C, Gulanski BI, Spanakis EK, Baker JS, Whittemore R, Weinzimer SA, Fucito LM. Evaluation of Web-Based and In-Person Methods to Recruit Adults With Type 1 Diabetes for a Mobile Exercise Intervention: Prospective Observational Study. JMIR Diabetes 2021; 6:e28309. [PMID: 34047700 PMCID: PMC8299346 DOI: 10.2196/28309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our clinical trial of a mobile exercise intervention for adults 18 to 65 years old with type 1 diabetes (T1D) occurred during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, prompting us to test web-based recruitment methods previously underexplored for this demographic. OBJECTIVE Our objectives for this study were to (1) evaluate the effectiveness and cost of using social media news feed advertisements, a clinic-based approach method, and web-based snowball sampling to reach inadequately active adults with T1D and (2) compare characteristics of enrollees against normative data. METHODS Participants were recruited between November 2019 and August 2020. In method #1, Facebook and Instagram news feed advertisements ran for five 1-to-8-day windows targeting adults (18 to 64 years old) in the greater New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, areas with one or more diabetes-related profile interest. If interested, participants completed a webform so that the research team could contact them for eligibility screening. In method #2, patients 18 to 24 years old with T1D were approached in person at clinical visits in November and December 2019. Those who were interested immediately completed eligibility screening. Older patients could not be approached due to clinic restrictions. In method #3, snowball sampling was conducted by physically active individuals with T1D contacting their peers on Facebook and via email for 48 days, with details to contact the research staff to express interest and complete eligibility screening. Other methods referred participants to the study similarly to snowball sampling. RESULTS In method #1, advertisements were displayed to 11,738 unique viewers and attracted 274 clickers (2.33%); 20 participants from this group (7.3%) volunteered, of whom 8 (40%) were eligible. Costs averaged US $1.20 per click and US $95.88 per eligible volunteer. Men had lower click rates than women (1.71% vs 3.17%; P<.001), but their responsiveness and eligibility rates did not differ. In method #2, we approached 40 patients; 32 of these patients (80%) inquired about the study, of whom 20 (63%) volunteered, and 2 of these volunteers (10%) were eligible. Costs including personnel for in-person approaches averaged US $21.01 per inquirer and US $479.79 per eligible volunteer. In method #3, snowball sampling generated 13 inquirers; 12 of these inquirers (92%) volunteered, of whom 8 (67%) were eligible. Incremental costs to attract inquirers were negligible, and total costs averaged US $20.59 per eligible volunteer. Other methods yielded 7 inquirers; 5 of these inquirers (71%) volunteered, of whom 2 (40%) were eligible. Incremental costs to attract inquirers were negligible, and total costs averaged US $34.94 per eligible volunteer. Demographic overrepresentations emerged in the overall cohort (ie, optimal glycemic control, obesity, and low exercise), among those recruited by news feed advertisements (ie, obesity and older age), and among those recruited by snowball sampling (ie, optimal glycemic control and low exercise). CONCLUSIONS Web-based advertising and recruitment strategies are a promising means to attract adults with T1D to clinical trials and exercise interventions, with costs comparing favorably to prior trials despite targeting an uncommon condition (ie, T1D) and commitment to an intervention. These strategies should be tailored in future studies to increase access to higher-risk participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04204733; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04204733.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett I Ash
- Pain, Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States.,Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Stephanie Griggs
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Laura M Nally
- Section of Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen
- Digestive Health Multispecialty Clinic, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sangchoon Jeon
- School of Nursing, Yale University, Orange, CT, United States
| | - Cynthia Brandt
- Pain, Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States.,Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Barbara I Gulanski
- Section of Endocrinology, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States.,Section of Endocrinology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Elias K Spanakis
- Division of Endocrinology, Baltimore Veterans Administrative Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Julien S Baker
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, China (Hong Kong)
| | | | - Stuart A Weinzimer
- Section of Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Lisa M Fucito
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, United States.,Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, United States
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El Hussein S, Khoury JD, Lyapichev KA, Tashakori M, Khanlari M, Miranda RN, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Wang SA, Ahmed A, Mirza KM, Crane GM, Medeiros LJ, Loghavi S. Next-Generation Scholarship: Rebranding Hematopathology Using Twitter: The MD Anderson Experience. Mod Pathol 2021; 34:854-861. [PMID: 33219298 PMCID: PMC7678590 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-020-00715-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hematopathologists are witnessing very exciting times, as a new era of unsurpassed technological advances is unfolding exponentially, enhancing our understanding of diseases at the genomic and molecular levels. In the evolving field of precision medicine, our contributions as hematopathologists to medical practice are of paramount importance. Social media platforms such as Twitter have helped facilitate and enrich our professional interactions and collaborations with others in our field and in other medical disciplines leading to a more holistic approach to patient care. These platforms also have created a novel means for instantaneous dissemination of new findings and recent publications, and are proving to be increasingly useful tools that can be harnessed to expand our knowledge and amplify our presence in the medical community. In this Editorial, we share our experience as hematopathologists with Twitter, and how we leveraged this platform to boost scholarly activities within and beyond our subspecialty, and as a powerful medium for worldwide dissemination of educational material and to promote our remote teaching activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siba El Hussein
- Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Joseph D. Khoury
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Kirill A. Lyapichev
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Mehrnoosh Tashakori
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Mahsa Khanlari
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Roberto N. Miranda
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Sa A. Wang
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Aadil Ahmed
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Kamran M. Mirza
- grid.470420.50000 0004 0443 7488Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Health System, Maywood, IL USA
| | - Genevieve M. Crane
- grid.239578.20000 0001 0675 4725Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH USA
| | - L. Jeffrey Medeiros
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Sanam Loghavi
- Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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9
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Keaver L, McGough AM, Du M, Chang W, Chomitz V, Allen JD, Attai DJ, Gualtieri L, Zhang FF. Self-Reported Changes and Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Global Breast Cancer Survivors: Results from an Exploratory Online Novel Survey. J Acad Nutr Diet 2020; 121:233-241.e8. [PMID: 33109503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2020.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite being motivated to improve nutrition and physical activity behaviors, cancer survivors are still burdened by suboptimal dietary intake and low levels of physical activity. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess changes in nutrition and physical activity behaviors after cancer diagnosis or treatment, barriers to eating a healthy diet and staying physically active, and sources for seeking nutrition advice reported by breast cancer survivors. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING The study included 315 survivors of breast cancer who were recruited through social media and provided completed responses to an online exploratory survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported changes in nutrition and physical activity behaviors after cancer diagnosis or treatment, perceived barriers to healthy eating and physical activity, and sources of nutrition advice were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Frequency distribution of nutrition and physical activity behaviors and changes, barriers to healthy eating and physical activity, and sources of nutrition advice were estimated. RESULTS About 84.4% of the breast cancer survivors reported at least 1 positive behavior for improving nutrition and physical activity after cancer diagnosis or treatment. Fatigue was the top barrier to both making healthy food choices (72.1%) and staying physically active (65.7%), followed by stress (69.5%) and treatment-related changes in eating habits (eg, change in tastes, loss of appetite, and craving unhealthy food) (31.4% to 48.6%) as barriers to healthy eating, and pain or discomfort (53.7%) as barriers to being physically active. Internet search (74.9%) was the primary source for seeking nutrition advice. Fewer than half reported seeking nutrition advice from health care providers. CONCLUSIONS Despite making positive changes in nutrition and physical activity behaviors after cancer diagnosis or treatment, breast cancer survivors experience treatment-related barriers to eating a healthy diet and staying physically active. Our results reinforce the need for developing tailored intervention programs and integrating nutrition into oncology care.
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Hulbert-Williams NJ, Pendrous R, Hulbert-Williams L, Swash B. Recruiting cancer survivors into research studies using online methods: a secondary analysis from an international cancer survivorship cohort study. Ecancermedicalscience 2019; 13:990. [PMID: 32010214 PMCID: PMC6974371 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2019.990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recruiting participants into cancer survivorship research remains a significant challenge. Few studies have tested and compared the relative use of non-clinical online recruitment methods, especially in samples of adult cancer survivors. This paper reports on the feasibility of recruiting a representative cohort of cancer survivors using online social media. Two hundred participants with cancer diagnosis within the past 12 months were recruited via social media (Facebook, Twitter and Reddit) into a longitudinal questionnaire study. Different methods of online recruitment proved to be more effective than others over time. Paid Facebook boosting, Reddit posts and Twitter advertisements placed by existing cancer charities proved most helpful in reaching our recruitment target (contributing 27%, 22% and 32%, respectively). Recruiting online achieved a more demographically and clinically representative sample for our study: our subject was younger, less heteronormative, including those with a range of clinical diagnoses, primary and recurrence illness, and patients who had both completed and were still receiving treatment. This was certainly not a quick method of sample recruitment but that could have been optimised by focussing only on the three most effective methods described earlier. While we found that online recruitment is significantly lower in cost than traditional recruitment methods, and can reduce some biases, there still remains the potential for some biases (e.g. excluding much older participants) and ethical/methodological issues (e.g. excluding those without access to Internet). We outline our recruitment strategy, retention rates and a cost breakdown in order to guide other researchers considering such methods for future research in cancer survivorship.
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Aparicio-Martinez P, Perea-Moreno AJ, Martinez-Jimenez MP, Redel-Macías MD, Vaquero-Abellan M, Pagliari C. A Bibliometric Analysis of the Health Field Regarding Social Networks and Young People. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16204024. [PMID: 31640168 PMCID: PMC6843989 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16204024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Social networks have historically been used to share information and support regarding health-related topics, and this usage has increased with the rise of online social media. Young people are high users of social media, both as passive listeners and as active contributors. This study aimed to map the trends in publications focused on social networks, health, and young people over the last 40 years. Scopus and the program VOSviewer were used to map the frequency of the publications, keywords, and clusters of researchers active in the field internationally. A structured keyword search using the Scopus database yielded 11,966 publications. The results reveal a long history of research on social networks, health, and young people. Research articles were the most common type of publication (68%), most of which described quantitative studies (82%). The main discipline represented in this literature was medicine, with 6062 documents. North American researchers dominate the field, both as authors and partners in international research collaborations. The present article adds to the literature by elucidating the growing importance of social networks in health research as a topic of study. This may help to inform future investments in public health research and surveillance using these novel data sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Aparicio-Martinez
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Departamento de Enfermería, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK.
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Campus de Rabanales (ceiA3), Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | | | - María Dolores Redel-Macías
- Departamento Ingeniería Rural, Ed Leonardo da Vinci, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Manuel Vaquero-Abellan
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Departamento de Enfermería, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Claudia Pagliari
- eHealth Research Group, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK.
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Benedict C, Hahn AL, Diefenbach MA, Ford JS. Recruitment via social media: advantages and potential biases. Digit Health 2019; 5:2055207619867223. [PMID: 31431827 PMCID: PMC6685119 DOI: 10.1177/2055207619867223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are under-represented in research. Social media is increasingly used for recruitment given its ability to reach large audiences. Differences in participant characteristics and potential biases due to recruitment source are not well understood. Purpose This study aimed to: (a) compare recruitment strategies (hospital-based v. social media) in enrollment metrics, and (b) among enrolled participants, evaluate group differences in patient characteristics and patient reported outcomes (PROs). Methods Preliminary data from a cancer and fertility study with female AYAs were evaluated. Hospital-based recruitment used electronic medical records (EMR) to identify eligible patients. Social media recruitment involved posting on partner organizations’ social media outlets. PROs included validated measures related to the parent study. Descriptive statistics evaluated recruitment metrics. Independent samples t-tests and chi-square identified differences in participant characteristics and PROs based on recruitment. Results Social media yielded a higher enrollment rate (37%; n = 54/146) compared with hospital-based recruitment (7%; n = 21/289) and required fewer study resources. Compared with hospital-based recruitment, participants from social media were more likely to be White (p = 0.01), with a longer time since treatment (p = 0.03); and reported higher levels of reproductive concern (p = 0.004) and negative mood (p = 0.02), and more negative illness perceptions (ps < 0.05). Conclusion Recruitment via social media may be a more effective and efficient strategy compared with hospital-based methods. However, group differences were identified that could bias findings and limit generalizability. Advantages of social media should be considered with an understanding of how methodology may impact enrollment and results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jennifer S Ford
- Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), USA
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