Mark Anthony Merolli*, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Kathleen Gray, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Fernando Martin-Sanchez, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Track: Research Presentation Topic: Web 2.0 approaches for clinical practice, clinical research, quality monitoring Presentation Type: Oral presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: Sheraton Maui Resort Room: B - Kapalua Date: 2014-11-13 11:50 AM – 12:35 PM Last modified: 2014-11-10

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Background: Published reports continue to emerge investigating patient reported outcomes (PROs) from social media use in chronic disease management. Research continues to present tenuous suggestions that social media are well suited to enhance management. Academic literature presents various qualitative reports of health outcomes and discourse themes from social media use. However, there is an absence of published accounts focusing on the underlying mechanisms driving social media’s effect on health outcomes.

Objective: This study uses qualitative analysis to provide a rich description of what underpins social media’s effect on health outcomes in chronic disease management. From a therapeutic affordances context we aim to formulate a preliminary conceptual framework aimed at better understanding ‘how’ social media affect patient outcomes.

Methods: N = 218 people with chronic pain (PWCP) completed an online survey in English, investigating PROs from social media use. The survey was distributed globally via various online channels. Within the survey, participants were given the opportunity to provide open-ended responses regarding their use of social media as part of chronic pain management. N = 68 chose to provide responses. Through thematic content analysis (TCA), 117 qualitative responses regarding 10 types of social media were coded. Quotes were extracted and tabulated based on therapeutic affordances that we had previously identified. Inductive analysis was then performed to code defining language and emergent themes central to describing each affordance. Three investigators examined the responses, developed the coding scheme and applied the coding to the data.

Results: The 117 participant responses yielded 155 quotes. The largest source of quotes came from social network site (SNS) users (50.3% of total quotes). Analysis of component language used to describe the aforementioned therapeutic affordances and emergent themes resulted in a final revision and renaming of therapeutic affordances: ‘exploration’ (33.5% of quotes), ‘connection’ (32.3% of quotes), ‘narration’ (21.3% of quotes), ‘adaptation’ (8.4% of quotes) and ‘self-presentation (4.6% of quotes). Of the most described affordances, ‘exploration’ was based on a propensity for participants to discuss social media use for information seeking. Whereas, ‘connection’ placed greater emphasis on interaction, highlighting themes of ‘exchanging information’ and ‘mitigating isolation’. Responses regarding ‘narration’ highlighted the value of shared experiences and the emotionally cathartic role this plays.

Conclusions: Much of the efficacy of social media’s ability to generate health outcomes in chronic disease management may be explicable via a closer examination of therapeutic affordances. Particular areas that warrant attention include social media’s ability to filter and guide people to useful information, connect individuals and share experiences. Further research into a variety of chronic conditions is warranted. Coupled with the results of the present study, a greater theoretical basis detailing ‘how’ social media may foster health outcomes may lead to an improved evidence-base for conducing research and inform recommendations for social media use in chronic disease management.