Understanding Melanoma Talk on Twitter: The Lessons Learned and Missed Opportunities.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 19(18)2022 Sep 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2260885
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Melanoma is the third most common cause of cancer and the deadliest form of skin cancer among 17-39 year-olds in the United States. Melanoma is a critical public health issue with a substantial economic burden. Cases and associated burdens, however, could be prevented with a greater awareness of, and interventions related to, skin cancer and melanoma-related preventive behaviors. In fact, as social media use is close to ubiquitous, it represents a potential communication modality. However, more research is needed to understand the current state of melanoma-related information exchanged between Twitter users. This study aimed to understand the different types of users controlling the melanoma-related information diffusion and conversation themes on Twitter.METHODS:
Tweets (n = 692) were imported from Twitter between 1 and 31 May 2021 using the Twitter public API; and uploaded to NodeXL to conduct a social network analysis.RESULTS:
Health professionals and organizations with medical backgrounds were the main content producers, disseminators, and top influencers. However, information diffusion is slow and uneven among users. Additionally, conversations lacked a focus on preventive behaviors.CONCLUSION:
Twitter is a potential platform for the targeted outreach of individuals in melanoma awareness campaigns. This study provides insights maximizing the effectiveness of Twitter as a communication modality. Our findings can help guide the development of customized content and interventions during melanoma awareness campaigns.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin Neoplasms
/
Social Media
/
Melanoma
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijerph191811284
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