Preparing women for breast screening mammography : a feasibility study to determine the potential value of an on-line social network and information hub

Robinson, L; Griffiths, M; Wray, J; Ure, CM; Shires, G; Stein Hodgins, J; Hill, C; Hilton, B

Abstract

This feasibility study explored the attitudes of women towards social media for support about breast screening mammography. It sought their ideas about what a dedicated breast screening hub or Digital Support Network (DSN) might comprise; how they would network with other women on the DSN; what format information might take; and whether a health professional should be available on the DSN. Data comprised 94 survey questionnaires and two focus groups; one comprised women in the breast screening population age group, the other was a younger group. A socio-ecological framework was used to identify key influencers and potential barriers for the implementation of a mammography DSN. The study identified issues related to three intersecting concepts which influenced women's behaviour: on-line conversations about health in general; on-line conversations about breast screening mammography and the culture of privacy which makes conversing about intimate health (either face to face or on-line) difficult. Also, the transient nature of the mammography episode (three yearly), could mean an on-line breast screening digital network is challenging to sustain. super-users’ may be needed to continue on-line conversations. The health professional was also seen as essential for moderating potential misinformation shared by women although the participants were also insistent that ‘truth’ be shared.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 7, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jul 30, 2015
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 19, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 7, 2017
• Journal: Radiography
• Print ISSN: 1078-8174
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 308-314
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2015.07.004
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2015.07.004
• Related Public URLs: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10788174