An elaboration likelihood model approach to cancer patients' decision-making: The role of social media use, provider discussion, and misinformation perceptions.

Abstract

While most cancer patients are willing to use social media (SM) to inform medical decisions, little is known about how provider's communication may inform their decision process. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, this study explored how cancer patients' health-related SM use may have effects on their decision-making through a central (clinical discussions) and a peripheral route (personal impression of the quality of SM information). A sample of 813 adult cancer patients who went to a doctor in the past year and had used SM were selected from the nationally representative Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS, Cycle 6). Path analysis was used to explore the research objective. About one in ten cancer patients make SM-based medical decisions (n = 82). Predictors of making SM-based decision include more discussions with providers (ß =.51, p < .01), more health-related SM use (ß =.08, p = .03), and perceptions of SM information being not misleading (ß = -.14, p < .01). Discussion with providers positively mediated the effect of SM use on making SM-based decisions. Discussion with providers was associated with lower SM misinformation perception, predicting more SM-based decisions. Despite expert recommendations for cancer patients to discuss their online information searches with their providers, this study showed a potential confirmation bias among cancer patients who depend on SM for health information. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.