Published on Nov. 30, 2020

The management of chronic diseases requires considerable patient education and self-management. Diabetes, cancer and mental illness are among the top ten searched chronic diseases on social media, a platform where people increasingly seek and disseminate information. Social media platforms such as Twitter can potentially shape online conversations and perceptions about chronic disease management. In this study, we analyze diabetes self-management (DSM) information on Twitter using AADE7™ behavioral guidelines. This study aims to illustrate that social network analysis based on such evidence-based behavioral frameworks can be used to inform the analysis of chronic disease information shared on social media. This approach can potentially be exploited by educators for educational, promotional or interventional strategies and policies. Further, it may enable us to develop an informatics framework to guide patients to systematically find and track reliable information on specific medical topics. 

Please contact Robert Sanders (sandersrl@missouri.edu) for Zoom information.