Rationale for Using Social Media to Collect Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients with Celiac Disease.
Patients with celiac disease (CD) are increasingly interconnected through social media, exchanging patient experiences and health-tracking information between individuals through various web-based platforms. Social media represents potentially unique communication interface between gastroenterologists and active social media users - especially young adults and adolescents with celiac disease-regarding adherence to the strict gluten-free diet, gastrointestinal symptoms, and meaningful discussion about disease management. Yet, various social media platforms may be underutilized for research purposes to collect patient-reported outcomes data. In this commentary, we summarize the scientific rationale and potential for future growth of social media in patient-reported outcomes research, focusing on college freshmen with celiac disease as a case study and provide overview of the methodological approach. Finally, we discuss how social media may impact patient care in the future through increasing mobile technology use.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA ; Center for Health Policy/Primary Care Outcomes Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Kt
K
Park
School of Medicine, George Washington University, District of Columbia, USA.
Merissa
M
Harris
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Nasim
N
Khavari
School of Medicine, George Washington University, District of Columbia, USA.
Chaitan
C
Khosla
Facebook; Healthcare; Mobile technology; Patient-reported outcomes; Quality-of-life; Social media; Social networking