Gaps in Public Awareness About BRCA and Genetic Testing in Prostate Cancer: Social Media Landscape Analysis

Abstract

Background Genetic testing, particularly for BRCA1/2, is increasingly important in prostate cancer (PCa) care, with impact on PCa management and hereditary cancer risk. However, the extent of public awareness and online discourse on social media is unknown, and presents opportunities to identify gaps and enhance population awareness and uptake of advances in PCa precision medicine. Objective The objective of this study was to characterize activity and engagement across multiple social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube) regarding BRCA and genetic testing for PCa compared with breast cancer, which has a long history of public awareness, advocacy, and prominent social media presence. Methods The Symplur Signals online analytics platform was used to obtain metrics for tweets about (1) #BRCA and #breastcancer, (2) #BRCA and #prostatecancer, (3) #genetictesting and #breastcancer, and (4) #genetictesting and #prostatecancer from 2016 to 2020. We examined the total number of tweets, users, and reach for each hashtag, and performed content analysis for a subset of tweets. Facebook and YouTube were queried using analogous search terms, and engagement metrics were calculated. Results During a 5-year period, there were 10,005 tweets for #BRCA and #breastcancer, versus 1008 tweets about #BRCA and #prostatecancer. There were also more tweets about #genetictesting and #breastcancer (n=1748), compared with #genetic testing and #prostatecancer (n=328). Tweets about genetic testing (12,921,954) and BRCA (75,724,795) in breast cancer also had substantially greater reach than those about PCa (1,463,777 and 4,849,905, respectively). Facebook groups and pages regarding PCa and BRCA/genetic testing had fewer average members, new members, and new posts, as well as fewer likes and followers, compared with breast cancer. Facebook videos had more engagement than YouTube videos across both PCa and breast cancer content. Conclusions There is substantially less social media engagement about BRCA and genetic testing in PCa compared with breast cancer. This landscape analysis provides insights into strategies for leveraging social media platforms to increase public awareness about PCa germline testing, including use of Facebook to share video content and Twitter for discussions with health professionals.

Utilization of genetic testing in men with advanced prostate cancer

“…awareness surrounding hereditary cancer testing on social media platforms has identified that the topic of prostate cancer results in significantly less public engagement when compared to breast cancer. 20,21 We believe that the reasons surrounding this delayed adoption of guidelines at our own institution are most likely multifactorial and in line with barriers encountered at other academic institutions (i.e., implementation barriers, provider variability, and patient factors, etc. ).…”

“…[20][21][22][23] Other institutions have encountered lack of physician knowledge regarding testing availability, skepticism about the evidence supporting practice guidelines, and cost as primary factors. 20,21 Other work assessing | 521…”

“…These results are in line with previous work completed at outside institutions which have sought to analyze barriers to germline testing. Past studies have found that though patient factors may play a role in utilization, implementation barriers are most frequently encountered at the physician and organizational level 20–23 . Other institutions have encountered lack of physician knowledge regarding testing availability, skepticism about the evidence supporting practice guidelines, and cost as primary factors 20,21 .…”

Health advertising on Facebook: Privacy and policy considerations

“…Specifically, public metadata for hereditary cancer communities on Facebook consist of about 73 groups ranging in size from 36 to 13,000 people. 1 Out of this population, 3 of the 10 participants were active administrators of at least one Facebook support group for breast cancer. All participants were a member of at least one breast cancer support group over a time period between 2008 and 2021.…”

Methodologies in Social Media Research: Where We Are and Where We Still Need to Go?

“…More recently, we found substantially less engagement on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube about BRCA and genetic testing in prostate cancer compared with breast cancer. 15 These analyses can provide insights into public awareness about different topics and potential strategies for health communication campaigns.…”