Developing Social Media Guidelines for Health Research: A Mixed Methods Study

Sanders, Charlotte (2025) Developing Social Media Guidelines for Health Research: A Mixed Methods Study PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

Title: Developing Social Media Guidelines for Health Research: A Mixed Methods Study Background: Social media platforms have become increasingly adopted across society and implemented into health research fields. Existing literature has demonstrated that social media platforms can potentially benefit research by increasing access to populations, offering additional recruitment methods, additional data collection techniques and improved dissemination. However, there are concerns regarding the use of social media in health research including ethical considerations related to public privacy and confidentiality. Methods: To help address these concerns, this PhD used a mixed methods design to review the relevant literature before describing the three-staged SOLACE study. The first stage comprised semi- structured interviews with health research professionals and members of the public to explore their experiences of social media use within health research. Interview transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis and a set of social media guidelines to inform the use of social media use within health research was drafted. The second stage involved focus groups with the same populations to review the drafted guidelines. The third stage gathered feedback from health research professionals via an online survey following their reviewing and implementing the guideline recommendations in health research studies. Setting: The SOLACE study was based in the UK but was open to participants globally. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: I interviewed 26 participants (n=10 professional group, n=16 public group) for the first stage of the SOLACE study, I conducted 6 focus groups with a total of 26 participants (n=12 professional group, n=14 public group) for the second stage and the third stage included survey responses from 27 participants (health researchers). Health research professionals highlighted several functions that social media platforms can be used for, including recruitment, data collection and dissemination. Most members of the public perceived the use of social media for health research as positive, however some highlighted a lack of trust in social media. Some health researchers felt pressure to use social media for research with little or no guidance and were concerned about following ethical guidelines and policies. Findings include recommendations on implementing social media into a research study such as ethical considerations, recruitment, data collection and dissemination techniques. The set of guidelines also aim to help improve the replicability of social media use within research study methodologies therefore helping to improve research validity and reliability. Conclusion: Synthesis of findings from the interviews, focus groups and survey, provide health researchers with seven main recommendations (PEPPERD) of using social media for a research study; Plan, Ethics, Presence, Preparation, Execute, Recruit (and collect data), and Disseminate. Further systematic evaluation of these guidelines is required. Future research could focus on how novel or changing social media platforms can be implemented into research studies.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Additional Information:	ORCID ID: 0009-0000-8184-8414
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social Media, Public Health, Health Research
Divisions:	Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2025 14:26
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2025 14:26
DOI:	10.17638/03194265
Supervisors:	Woolfall, Kerry Young, Bridget Buchan, Iain
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3194265
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