JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

There is a growing focus on the potential uses, benefits and limitations of social media in the context of healthcare communication. In this study we have sought to evaluate an initiative, pioneered at a hospital in Denmark, to utilize Facebook to support and enhance patient-provider communication about diabetes.

Objective:

To evaluate the success of the trial according to its initial objectives and to assess its potential scalability.

Methods:

The study was undertaken in a clinic for diabetes and hormonal diseases, at a large regional hospital in Denmark. Using a Realistic Evaluation approach, we identified four key components in the program theory of the initiative, which we formulated as context, mechanism, outcome configurations. These configurations informed data gathering and analysis. Primary data sources were the activity and content in the Facebook group, in the form of posts, likes and comments, and interviews with patients and staff at the clinic (N = 26 & 6).

Results:

New developments in diabetes technology were the most popular posts in the forum, judged by number of likes and comments. Otherwise, information specific to the clinic received most attention. All four components of the program theory were compromised to varying degrees, either as result of failings in the anticipated mechanisms of change or contextual factors derived from the mode of implementation.

Conclusions:

Social media serves well as a conduit for imagining positive change, but this can be a strength and weakness when attempting to enact change via concrete interventions where stakeholder expectations may be unreasonably high or incompatible. Nonetheless, such initiatives may possess intangible benefits difficult to measure in terms of cost-effectivity. Clinical Trial: N/A