title: General practice and the Internet revolution. Use of an Internet social network to communicate information on prevention in France.
abstract: The popularity of social networks and the huge number of exchanges have made them immensely important for the communication of information. This French study explored prevention in hereditary breast cancer using a social Internet network to communicate information. The principal objective was to inform French women aged from 20 to 50 years, using the social network Facebook, about the warning signs of breast cancer in cases of a predisposition to the disease due to a genetic mutation. The secondary objectives were to inform people about screening. An information page entitled "hereditary breast cancer: and if I was concerned?" was distributed in 3 different ways: from friend to friend, via groups of persons, and by targeted advertising. Four articles and 11 messages were distributed over 27 days. The total number of visits for this period amounted to 1019. A total of 81 percent of the Internauts were women and 55 percent of the visitors were aged between 25 and 44 years. Other information campaigns concerning public health issues could be conducted using this tool. A legal framework is necessary to preserve the quality of the medical information provided. This new means of communication, used for prevention purposes, will add to other frequently used methods of communication.
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France iveuillotte@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Veuillotte
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pitois
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haler
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aubry
authors.affiliation: The University of Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cannet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003142:Communication; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D040442:Public Health Informatics / Q000379:methods*; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Facebook; general practice; information; prevention; social networks