Genetics Blogs as a Public Health Tool: Assessing Credibility and Influence

Wagner, Laura; Paquin, Ryan S.; Persky, Susan

doi:10.1159/000336537

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Meanwhile, scholars on science communication argue that the new online media environment exerts a major influence on the public's understanding of science (Brossard and Scheufele, 2013;Brossard, 2012). For example, Brossard and Scheufele (2013) identified that increasing numbers of people are obtaining their information on science from the Internet and that its influence is substantial; Wagner et al (2012) also found that blogs play an effective role in public health information. These study findings suggest that media attention on the topic can increase public interest and maybe eagerness to investigate GT.…”

Section: The Genetic Testing Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing direct-to-consumer genetic testing services in English, Japanese, and Chinese websites

NAGAI

Tanaka

Marcon

et al. 2023

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Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) has rapidly become available and affordable throughout developed countries. However, comparative research on DTC-GT services beyond Western countries has remained scarce, particularly in East Asian countries such as Japan and China. Hence, this study's hypothesis is that although DTC-GT services in three languages might utilize the same underlying testing technology, such services are likely to represent the social, economic, and political characteristics of each country. For the study, a total of 267 websites (182 English, 32 Japanese, and 53 Chinese) were analyzed and coded reflexively into five categories for content analysis before interpretation using cluster and factor analyses. The results demonstrated variation between the three languages that reflected their respective consumer cultures: English, Chinese, and Japanese genetic testing websites focused on empowerment and ancestry; cultural values, especially familism; and health and beauty, respectively.

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Section: The Genetic Testing Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing direct-to-consumer genetic testing services in English, Japanese, and Chinese websites

NAGAI

Tanaka

Marcon

et al. 2023

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show abstract

“…Research on blogs also explores the potential role of blogging in improving health awareness, education, and research (Anonymous, 2009;Boulos, Maramba, & Wheeler, 2006). Some examination of comparatively large samples of health-related blogs has taken place (Clauson, Ekins, & Goncz, 2010;Kovic, Lulic, & Brumni, 2008;Lagu, Kaufman, Asch, & Armstrong, 2008;Miller & Pole, 2009;Miller, Pole, & Bateman, 2011;Wagner, Paquin, & Persky, 2012). By contrast, there has been little systematic research reported on the content and characteristics of mental-health blogs; most of what has been reported consists of small samples focusing on particular mental-health topics and/or populations (Clark & Lang, 2012;Marcus, Westra, Eastwood, & Barnes, 2012;Sundar, Edwards, Hu, & Stavrositu, 2007;Tong, Heinemann-Lafave, Jeon, Kolodziej-Smith, & Warshay, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life and Death in the Mental-Health Blogosphere: An Analysis of Blog Content and Survival

Miller¹,

Pole²,

Usidame³

2015

World Medical &Amp; Health Policy

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The purpose of this study was to describe a sample of mental-health blogs, to determine the proportion of sampled blogs still posting several years after identification, and to identify the correlates of survival. One hundred eighty-eight mental-health blogs were identified in 2007-08 and revisited in 2014. Eligible blogs were U.S.-based, in English, and active. Baseline characteristics and survival status were described and variation based on blog focus and survival examined. Mental-health bloggers tended to be females blogging as patients and caregivers focusing on specific mental illnesses/conditions. The proportion of blogs still active at follow-up ranged from 25.5 percent to 30.3 percent depending on the definition of survival employed. Factors associated with survival included sponsorship/advertising and assumption of a professional/caregiving rather than patient/consumer perspective. Because professionally authored blogs with sponsorship/advertising tend to be longer lived, they may have disproportionate impact on the help-seeking behavior of individuals referred to them by search engine results. This suggests the need to promulgate and adhere to rules governing disclosure of real or perceived conflicts of interest, particularly given the growing use of industry paid/driven content.

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“…Although patient trust in web-based health information has been reported to be comparable to that received from a health professional (Hesse et al 2005; Vega et al 2011; Zulman et al 2011), it is unclear how consumers regard DTC genomic testing, a process that occurs online entirely. Given the varying quality of health information online (Bernhardt et al 2002; Eysenbach and Kohler 2002), motivating information-seekers to “comparison shop” for health information, the perceived credibility of the information source (“source credibility”) may impact trust (Freeman and Spyridakis 2004; Wagner et al 2012). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Trust in Genomic Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Mills

Barry

Haga

2013

Journal of Genetic Counseling

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Patient trust in personal medical information is critical to increasing adherence to physician recommendations and medications. One of the anticipated benefits of learning of one’s genomic risk for common diseases is the increased adoption of screening, preventive care and lifestyle changes. However, the equivocal results thus far reported of the positive impact of knowledge of genomic risk on behavior change may be due to lack of patients’ trust in the results. As part of a clinical study to compare two methods of communication of genomic risk results for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we assessed patients’ trust and preferred methods of delivery of genomic risk information. A total of 300 participants recruited from the general public in Durham, NC were randomized to receive their genomic risk for T2DM in-person from a genetic counselor or online through the testing company’s web-site. Participants completed a baseline survey and three follow-up surveys after receiving results. Overall, participants reported high levels of trust in the test results. Participants who received their results in-person from the genetic counselor were significantly more likely to trust their results than those who reviewed their results on-line (p=0.005). There was not a statistically significant difference in levels of trust among participants with increased genetic risk, as compared to other those with decreased or same as population risk (p = 0.1154). In the event they undergo genomic risk testing again, 55% of participants overall indicated they would prefer to receive their results online compared to 28% that would prefer to receive future results in-person. Of those participants preferring to receive results online, 77% indicated they would prefer to have the option to speak to someone if they had questions with the online results (compared to accessing results online without the option of professional consultation). This is the first study to assess satisfaction with genomic risk testing by the method of delivery of the test result. The higher rate of trust in results delivered in-person suggests that online access reports may not result in serious consideration of results and lack of adoption of recommended preventive recommendations.

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Genetics Blogs as a Public Health Tool: Assessing Credibility and Influence

Cited by 8 publications

References 31 publications

Comparing direct-to-consumer genetic testing services in English, Japanese, and Chinese websites

Comparing direct-to-consumer genetic testing services in English, Japanese, and Chinese websites

Life and Death in the Mental-Health Blogosphere: An Analysis of Blog Content and Survival

Public Trust in Genomic Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

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