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

Merolli, M., Sanchez, F.J.M. and Gary, K.

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.

Cite as: Merolli, M., Sanchez, F.J.M. and Gary, K. (2014). Social Media and Online Survey: Tools for Knowledge Management in Health Research. In Proc. Seventh Australasian Workshop on Health Informatics and Knowledge Management (HIKM 2014) Auckland, New Zealand. CRPIT, 153. Warren, J. and Gray, K. Eds., ACS. 21-30

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