Use of Web 2.0 Social Media Platforms to Promote Community-Engaged Research Dialogs: A Preliminary Program Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Research Engagement

Background:

• Community-engaged research involves collaborative efforts with groups on well-being issues.
• Traditional methods face limitations in geographic reach, resources, and communication.
• Web 2.0 technologies, like social media, offer broader reach and bidirectional dialogs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the use of social media for engaging researchers and community representatives.
• To assess the effectiveness of social media platforms in fostering dialogs about community-engaged research.

Main Methods:

• A pilot program utilized a WordPress blog and Twitter account facilitated by a social media manager.
• Descriptive analytics measured engagement over an 18-month period (2014-2016).
• Content analysis identified themes in blog posts; Twitter demographics and impressions were examined.

Main Results:

• Blog posts originated from researchers (64%), community representatives (32%), and funders (8%).
• Key themes included research awareness, dissemination, and best practices.
• Twitter engagement reached 411 followers, with 132,000 impressions, primarily US-based English speakers.

Conclusions:

• Social media platforms are viable tools for engaging researchers and community stakeholders in community-engaged research dialogs.
• This study highlights a novel use of Web 2.0 for engagement, contrasting with prior face-to-face approaches.
• Future research should explore diverse platforms and stakeholder groups, including patients, providers, and payers.