Rights statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Psychology and Health on 13/07/2020, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870446.2020.1792903
Accepted author manuscript, 473 KB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY-NC: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Understanding breast cancer survivors’ information-seeking behaviours and overall experiences : a comparison of themes derived from social media posts and focus groups. / Currin-McCulloch, J.; Stanton, A.; Boyd, R. et al.
In: Psychology and Health, Vol. 36, No. 7, 31.07.2021, p. 810-827.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding breast cancer survivors’ information-seeking behaviours and overall experiences
T2 - a comparison of themes derived from social media posts and focus groups
AU - Currin-McCulloch, J.
AU - Stanton, A.
AU - Boyd, R.
AU - Neaves, M.
AU - Jones, Barbara
N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Psychology and Health on 13/07/2020, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870446.2020.1792903
PY - 2021/7/31
Y1 - 2021/7/31
N2 - Objective: Using two different analysis techniques, this study explored differences and similarities in information-seeking discourse and overall breast cancer experiences between posters to a Reddit board and breast cancer survivor focus groups. Design: This study incorporates two qualitative methods for determining themes in breast cancer survivors’ information-seeking behaviours and overall cancer experiences. First, posts from a breast cancer-specific Reddit community were extracted and analysed using the meaning extraction method (MEM) to determine core themes. Then, investigators performed a thematic analysis of two focus groups of breast cancer survivors (N = 18). Finally, themes derived from each analysis method were compared. Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures include themes extracted from Reddit posts and themes generated from breast cancer survivor focus groups. Results: Findings between qualitative methodologies represent similar yet nuanced themes in survivors’ discourse. The MEM resulted in seven themes: diagnosis, treatment process, social support, existentialism, risk, information-seeking and surgery. Focus groups revealed the same initial four MEM themes plus the following: disclosure, coping and fears. Conclusions: The MEM is a cost-effective research mechanism for informing common themes of experiences of cancer patients and survivors and may offer initial data to guide psychosocial oncology research design and recruitment.
AB - Objective: Using two different analysis techniques, this study explored differences and similarities in information-seeking discourse and overall breast cancer experiences between posters to a Reddit board and breast cancer survivor focus groups. Design: This study incorporates two qualitative methods for determining themes in breast cancer survivors’ information-seeking behaviours and overall cancer experiences. First, posts from a breast cancer-specific Reddit community were extracted and analysed using the meaning extraction method (MEM) to determine core themes. Then, investigators performed a thematic analysis of two focus groups of breast cancer survivors (N = 18). Finally, themes derived from each analysis method were compared. Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures include themes extracted from Reddit posts and themes generated from breast cancer survivor focus groups. Results: Findings between qualitative methodologies represent similar yet nuanced themes in survivors’ discourse. The MEM resulted in seven themes: diagnosis, treatment process, social support, existentialism, risk, information-seeking and surgery. Focus groups revealed the same initial four MEM themes plus the following: disclosure, coping and fears. Conclusions: The MEM is a cost-effective research mechanism for informing common themes of experiences of cancer patients and survivors and may offer initial data to guide psychosocial oncology research design and recruitment.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - focus groups
KW - information-seeking
KW - meaning extraction methods
KW - social support
U2 - 10.1080/08870446.2020.1792903
DO - 10.1080/08870446.2020.1792903
M3 - Journal article
VL - 36
SP - 810
EP - 827
JO - Psychology and Health
JF - Psychology and Health
SN - 0887-0446
IS - 7
ER -