Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers
Background: Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms. The growing use of Twitter by health-care consumers creates a novel venue to understand patient experiences. To understand the potential for this platform to be utilized in patient- and family-oriented health research, this study...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2018-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917750782 |
| _version_ | 1818059457025802240 |
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| author | Amy J. Zhang Lauren Albrecht Shannon D. Scott |
| author_facet | Amy J. Zhang Lauren Albrecht Shannon D. Scott |
| author_sort | Amy J. Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms. The growing use of Twitter by health-care consumers creates a novel venue to understand patient experiences. To understand the potential for this platform to be utilized in patient- and family-oriented health research, this study reviewed published literature on the use of Twitter in health research. Methods: In collaboration with the research team, a research librarian designed and implemented a search strategy in eight databases. Primary and secondary screenings were conducted using predetermined criteria by one reviewer. A second reviewer verified screening decisions in 10% of the studies. Evidence tables were created to synthesize across the following study elements: research design, data collection techniques, analytic approaches, and author’s insights on Twitter as a data collection method. Descriptive narrative analysis was used to synthesize data. Results: The search strategy captured 618 articles; 233 were eliminated in primary screening and 366 articles were eliminated during secondary screening. Verification by the second reviewer resulted in very good agreement (κ = .980). Seventeen articles were included in the final data set. Synthesis across the studies demonstrated that Twitter is currently used to search and mine research data, while active recruitment strategies on Twitter are just beginning to emerge. Conclusion: The novelty of Twitter for study recruitment and data collection with health-care consumers presents advantages and challenges that differ from traditional methods of data collection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:16:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a64d9b47e6574574b09e71e575278a07 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1609-4069 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:16:49Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| spelling | doaj.art-a64d9b47e6574574b09e71e575278a072022-12-22T01:47:31ZengSAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods1609-40692018-01-011710.1177/1609406917750782Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care ConsumersAmy J. Zhang0Lauren Albrecht1Shannon D. Scott2 Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Alberta, CanadaBackground: Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms. The growing use of Twitter by health-care consumers creates a novel venue to understand patient experiences. To understand the potential for this platform to be utilized in patient- and family-oriented health research, this study reviewed published literature on the use of Twitter in health research. Methods: In collaboration with the research team, a research librarian designed and implemented a search strategy in eight databases. Primary and secondary screenings were conducted using predetermined criteria by one reviewer. A second reviewer verified screening decisions in 10% of the studies. Evidence tables were created to synthesize across the following study elements: research design, data collection techniques, analytic approaches, and author’s insights on Twitter as a data collection method. Descriptive narrative analysis was used to synthesize data. Results: The search strategy captured 618 articles; 233 were eliminated in primary screening and 366 articles were eliminated during secondary screening. Verification by the second reviewer resulted in very good agreement (κ = .980). Seventeen articles were included in the final data set. Synthesis across the studies demonstrated that Twitter is currently used to search and mine research data, while active recruitment strategies on Twitter are just beginning to emerge. Conclusion: The novelty of Twitter for study recruitment and data collection with health-care consumers presents advantages and challenges that differ from traditional methods of data collection.https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917750782 |
| spellingShingle | Amy J. Zhang Lauren Albrecht Shannon D. Scott Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| title | Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers |
| title_full | Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers |
| title_fullStr | Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers |
| title_short | Using Twitter for Data Collection With Health-Care Consumers |
| title_sort | using twitter for data collection with health care consumers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917750782 |
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