Relationship between Health Information Sharing Behavior Using Social Media and Breast Cancer Screening

Abstract

Keywords: breast cancer screening; social media; health information sharing Introduction Social media, a means of electronic communication where users can share information and ideas online, is increasingly being used for sharing health information.1, 2 A Pew Research Center report found that 4 out of 10 people who commented on their health online have shared their personal health experiences online with others.3 Social media can increase engagement and access to health information to broader and more diverse audiences, as 71% of adults over 18 years old who use the internet also use social media.2, 4 Communicating health information on social media is a rapid, low-cost method that can easily offer a large amount of information to a large audience and can impact their health and health behaviors.

"Clicks, likes, shares and comments" a systematic review of breast cancer screening discourse in social media

“…A significantly higher percentage of Hispanics (17.8%) and other races (27.0%) chose to share health information on social media compared to African Americans (8.6%) and Whites (12.9%). [38] After reviewing the 17 relevant original studies identified, we can conclude that the volume of breast cancer related social media is big enough to make it a good channel for reaching the target population.…”