Association of Online Social Media Use and Quality of Life in Breast-cancer patients

Authors

  • Sairung Prakobchit Ubon Ratchathani Cancer Hospital,Ubon Ratchathani

Keywords:

online social media, quality of life, breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death and disability among Thai women. Screening for
new cases is important in reducing the burden of breast cancer. The challenge for health
authorities is to increase screening, early-stage treatment of breast cancers, patient follow-up, and
palliative care. Nowadays, online social media play a very important role among breast-cancer
patients. Different kinds of online social media include the Line app, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter,
and Pinterest. Online social media are web-based, so that breast-cancer patients can potentially
access information about cancer treatment, share ideas about cancer prevention, and interact with
other patients and health organizations. Our literature review revealed that patients’ use of online
social media improved their quality of life. However, very little research has been found that has
studied the association between online social media use and quality of life among breast-cancer
patients. This study aimed to determine the association between online social media use and
quality of life among breast-cancer patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted among
breast-cancer patients attending the Ubon Ratchathani Cancer Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani
Province during the period April to December 2019. Data were collected by questionnaires
comprising socio-demographic characteristics, online social media usage behavior, and an
instrument to measure health-related quality of life (EQ - 5D - 5L). A total of 182 breast-cancer
patients participated in the study; 47.8% had ever used online social media and 52.2% had never
used them. Breast-cancer patients with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) problem(s) used
online social media more than patients without HRQoL problems (OR = 2.29, P = 0.013), patients
with visual analog scale (VAS) problems used online social media more than others (OR = 2.74,
P = 0.012). The median VAS among breast-cancer patients who used online social media was
higher than the nonusers (P<0.001). In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that the use
of online social media improved the quality of life of breast-cancer patients. Therefore, the
relevant authorities should provide information about breast cancer through online social media,
which are popular among breast-cancer patients, and would be beneficial for them.

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Published

2020-06-01

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Original Articles