Description
The rigorous cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can often have a debilitating impact on one’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. There is ample evidence on the benefits of peer-support interventions for cancer survivors, however, knowledge about the role and characteristics of peer support in an unmoderated online environment is still limited. Analyzing tweets of breast cancer survivors can thus provide meaningful insight into how cancer treatment-related symptoms impact the daily lives of survivors, and the various coping mechanisms they adapt to maintain their quality of life. The objective of this research is to answer the following research questions: RQ1: What are the primary post-treatment concerns among breast cancer survivors as shared on Twitter?; and RQ2: What are the characteristics of peer-support and associated information-sharing among breast cancer survivors on Twitter?
Learning Objective: Understand the role of online unmoderated communication, such as Twitter among breast cancer survivors, and discuss as well as characterize the role of peer-support among breast cancer survivors on Twitter.
Authors:
Akshat Kapoor (Presenter)
East Carolina University
Presentation Materials: