Social Media and Online Survey: Tools for Knowledge Management in Health Research

Intro: This paper outlines the design, dissemination and recruitment of participants into a global online survey examining perceptions regarding the value of social media for chronic pain self-management. Building on literature supporting the use of online survey in health research design, we outline the step-by-step process involved in creating this survey and also discuss how use of social media as a distribution channel may significantly impact participant recruitment. Methods: We designed the online survey using Survey Monkey. After the initial survey design phase we consulted a survey expert and statistician to refine the instrument before obtaining ethics and piloting the survey. Recruitment consisted of both traditional online dissemination (i.e. emails and website posting), as well as a more active approach utilizing various social media. Results: 231 people with chronic pain took the survey. After applying exclusion criteria we were left with N = 218 responses for analysis. Demographics and social media platform use are presented, as well as a detailed look at the survey recruitment process, contrasting traditional online recruitment with that using social media. Conclusion: Online surveys are a valuable study method for health research. They build on the foundations of traditional survey method but harness the power of the Internet to conduct research. Concurrently, social media provide a novel distribution channel for survey recruitment and their potential application in health research is worthy of further consideration.