Mapping Engagement in Twitter-Based Support Networks for Adult Smoking Cessation.
We examined engagement in novel quit-smoking private social support networks on Twitter, January 2012 to April 2014. We mapped communication patterns within 8 networks of adult smokers (n = 160) with network ties defined by participants' tweets over 3 time intervals, and examined tie reciprocity, tie strength, in-degree centrality (popularity), 3-person triangles, 4-person cliques, network density, and abstinence status. On average, more than 50% of ties were reciprocated in most networks and most ties were between abstainers and nonabstainers. Tweets formed into more aggregated patterns especially early in the study. Across networks, 35.00% (7 days after the quit date), 49.38% (30 days), and 46.88% (60 days) abstained from smoking. We demonstrated that abstainers and nonabstainers engaged with one another in dyads and small groups. This study preliminarily suggests potential for Twitter as a platform for adult smoking-cessation interventions.
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Cynthia M
CM
Lakon
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Cornelia
C
Pechmann
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Cheng
C
Wang
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Li
L
Pan
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Kevin
K
Delucchi
Cynthia M. Lakon is with the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Cornelia Pechmann is with The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine. Cheng Wang is with the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Li Pan is with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China. Kevin Delucchi is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Judith J. Prochaska is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Judith J
JJ
Prochaska
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult