Exploring the viability of using online social media advertising as a recruitment method for smoking cessation clinical trials

• Published in: Nicotine & tobacco research Vol. 16; no. 2; p. 247
• Main Authors: Frandsen, Mai, Walters, Julia, Ferguson, Stuart G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.02.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Advertising as Topic - economics; Advertising as Topic - methods; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Feasibility Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Selection; Reproducibility of Results; Smoking Cessation - psychology; Social Media - economics; Social Media - standards; Social Media - utilization; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tasmania; Tobacco Use Disorder - therapy; Tasmania
• ISSN: 1469-994X
• DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntt157

The aim of the present study was to explore the viability of using social media as a recruitment tool in a clinical research trial. Sociodemographic data and smoking characteristics were assessed in 266 participants recruited to investigate the effectiveness of a behavioral support program for smoking cessation. For analysis, participants were separated into 2 groups based on whether they were recruited either using traditional means (flyers, word of mouth, or newspaper advertisement; n = 125, 47.0%) or by advertisements in online social media (n = 138, 51.9%). Participants recruited via social media were significantly younger, but there were no differences in other socioeconomic variables or smoking characteristics compared with participants recruited via other traditional means. The findings of the present study suggest that using online social media is a viable recruitment method for smoking studies and compliments other more traditional recruitment methods.