Recruitment through Social Networking Sites: Are Substance Use Patterns Comparable to Traditional Recruitment Methods?
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Abstract
Background:
Across the life course, alcohol and other substance use (e.g., marijuana and cigarette use) reaches its peak for many individuals during young adulthood (roughly ages 18-25), and use at this time is associated with many acute negative consequences and potential longer-term developmental and health effects. Nearly 93% of young adults use the internet and 83% of 18-29 year olds have a social networking profile (e.g., Facebook; Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2013, Pew Research Center, 2013). These platforms offer the potential to recruit a large and diverse sample of young adults for substance use research, as well as for delivering innovative and effective interventions; however, limited information is known about the substance use of individuals who are recruited primarily through SNS.
Objectives:
The objectives of the present study were to examine alcohol and other substance use among young adults recruited through SNS (i.e., Facebook), other online media outlets (e.g., Craigslist), as well as other traditional methods of recruitment (e.g., flyers, print newspapers, and word of mouth).
Method:
Study participants were 359 young adults (18-25 years of age; 56% female; mean age 20 years) who participated in an online survey of health behaviors and internet activity. Participants were recruited through a variety of methods including Facebook advertisements and sponsored posts and stories; Craigslist; flyers; posters; and newspaper advertisements. Participants completed items that assessed how they were recruited for study participation, drinking behavior (Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985), marijuana use (Johnston et al., 2013), and feelings of nicotine dependence (DiFranza et al., 2002), and demographics.
Results:
Findings indicated that participants were recruited via Facebook (25.1%), Craigslist (20.3%), Acquaintances (17.3%), Flyers (12.5%), Newspapers (11.1%), and Other (13.6%). Initial recruitment via Facebook advertisements was limited, however heavy promotion of a Facebook fan page with sponsored stories and posts lead to increased recruitment. Typical number of drinks consumed for the sample was 4.02 (SD = 6.85). Participants reported using marijuana over the past year an average of one to two times (M = 1.40, SD = 2.15). Average feelings of nicotine dependence were 1.21 (SD = 2.44). When controlling for gender and age, results indicated no significant differences in typical drinks per week F (339) = 2.10, p = .07, marijuana use over the past year F (350) = .60, p = .70, or feelings of nicotine dependence, F (355) = 1.08, p = .37, by how participants were recruited into the online study.
Conclusions:
Overall, results suggest young adults can be recruited for risk behavior research via Facebook, and that those recruited through Facebook have similar substance use patterns as participants recruited via other methods. With the popularity of Facebook, intervention delivery could have a wide and deep impact on substance use and novel interventions should be examined for delivery via Facebook.
Across the life course, alcohol and other substance use (e.g., marijuana and cigarette use) reaches its peak for many individuals during young adulthood (roughly ages 18-25), and use at this time is associated with many acute negative consequences and potential longer-term developmental and health effects. Nearly 93% of young adults use the internet and 83% of 18-29 year olds have a social networking profile (e.g., Facebook; Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2013, Pew Research Center, 2013). These platforms offer the potential to recruit a large and diverse sample of young adults for substance use research, as well as for delivering innovative and effective interventions; however, limited information is known about the substance use of individuals who are recruited primarily through SNS.
Objectives:
The objectives of the present study were to examine alcohol and other substance use among young adults recruited through SNS (i.e., Facebook), other online media outlets (e.g., Craigslist), as well as other traditional methods of recruitment (e.g., flyers, print newspapers, and word of mouth).
Method:
Study participants were 359 young adults (18-25 years of age; 56% female; mean age 20 years) who participated in an online survey of health behaviors and internet activity. Participants were recruited through a variety of methods including Facebook advertisements and sponsored posts and stories; Craigslist; flyers; posters; and newspaper advertisements. Participants completed items that assessed how they were recruited for study participation, drinking behavior (Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985), marijuana use (Johnston et al., 2013), and feelings of nicotine dependence (DiFranza et al., 2002), and demographics.
Results:
Findings indicated that participants were recruited via Facebook (25.1%), Craigslist (20.3%), Acquaintances (17.3%), Flyers (12.5%), Newspapers (11.1%), and Other (13.6%). Initial recruitment via Facebook advertisements was limited, however heavy promotion of a Facebook fan page with sponsored stories and posts lead to increased recruitment. Typical number of drinks consumed for the sample was 4.02 (SD = 6.85). Participants reported using marijuana over the past year an average of one to two times (M = 1.40, SD = 2.15). Average feelings of nicotine dependence were 1.21 (SD = 2.44). When controlling for gender and age, results indicated no significant differences in typical drinks per week F (339) = 2.10, p = .07, marijuana use over the past year F (350) = .60, p = .70, or feelings of nicotine dependence, F (355) = 1.08, p = .37, by how participants were recruited into the online study.
Conclusions:
Overall, results suggest young adults can be recruited for risk behavior research via Facebook, and that those recruited through Facebook have similar substance use patterns as participants recruited via other methods. With the popularity of Facebook, intervention delivery could have a wide and deep impact on substance use and novel interventions should be examined for delivery via Facebook.
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