Sarah K Cook1, Rebecca N Jerome2, Julia Dunagan2, Nan Kennedy2, Terri Edwards2, Jennifer A Minnix3, Leann Witmer3, Jennifer Ferguson3, Paul Cinciripini3, Consuelo Wilkins4, Paul Harris5. 1. Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. Electronic address: sarah.k.cook@vumc.org. 2. Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. 3. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Behavioral Science, Dan L. Duncan Building, 3rd floor, 1155 Pressler St., Houston, TX 77030, USA. 4. Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203, USA; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Office of Health Equity, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd, Jr. Boulevard Nashville, TN 37208, USA. 5. Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Social media, including Facebook outreach, is increasingly being used as a participant recruitment tool, and may be particularly useful in tobacco and smoking cessation studies. The Recruitment Innovation Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center partnered with Project LUNA, a smoking cessation study, to conduct a pilot social media campaign aimed at increasing study recruitment. METHODS: Two posts encouraging study participation were developed and promoted on Facebook to users with an interest in smoking-related topics, with a link to a study-specific webpage. Facebook and website analytics were collected, including impressions, clicks, click-through rates, website traffic, and clicks to the study screening form. Study screening and enrollment data were also collected. RESULTS: The Facebook campaign ran in June 2019 in the greater Houston area. In total, the Facebook posts logged 1,179,844 impressions, 6490 clicks, and an overall click-through rate of 0.55%. There were no differences in response to the two different promotional posts. Approximately 3812 unique individuals visited an intermediary study page, with 473 expressing interest in the study. Forty-three potential participants contacted the study team, resulting in study enrollment and randomization of 23 participants, with an estimated cost per enrolled participant of $441. CONCLUSIONS: The social media campaign was successful at increasing outreach and interest in the LUNA study. However, the price-per-participant enrolled was higher than in comparable tobacco cessation studies. These results and lessons learned may be beneficial to others considering social media as a recruitment method for their clinical research trial.
INTRODUCTION: Social media, including Facebook outreach, is increasingly being used as a participant recruitment tool, and may be particularly useful in tobacco and smoking cessation studies. The Recruitment Innovation Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center partnered with Project LUNA, a smoking cessation study, to conduct a pilot social media campaign aimed at increasing study recruitment. METHODS: Two posts encouraging study participation were developed and promoted on Facebook to users with an interest in smoking-related topics, with a link to a study-specific webpage. Facebook and website analytics were collected, including impressions, clicks, click-through rates, website traffic, and clicks to the study screening form. Study screening and enrollment data were also collected. RESULTS: The Facebook campaign ran in June 2019 in the greater Houston area. In total, the Facebook posts logged 1,179,844 impressions, 6490 clicks, and an overall click-through rate of 0.55%. There were no differences in response to the two different promotional posts. Approximately 3812 unique individuals visited an intermediary study page, with 473 expressing interest in the study. Forty-three potential participants contacted the study team, resulting in study enrollment and randomization of 23 participants, with an estimated cost per enrolled participant of $441. CONCLUSIONS: The social media campaign was successful at increasing outreach and interest in the LUNA study. However, the price-per-participant enrolled was higher than in comparable tobacco cessation studies. These results and lessons learned may be beneficial to others considering social media as a recruitment method for their clinical research trial.
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