243153 Impact of social media in disseminating cancer information to multicultural communities

Monday, October 31, 2011: 9:10 AM

James Alexander , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Natalie Zeigler, MS , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Harry T. Kwon, PhD, MPH, MCHES , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Jill Bartholomew, MS, MBA , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Rose Mary Padberg, MA, RN , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Iliana Kiourkas, MPH , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Lena Hale , Office of Partnerships and Dissemination Initiatives, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Theresa Devine, MPH , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Addison Greenwood , Oce, NCI, Rockville, MD
Madeline La Porta, MS , Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Cancer health disparities continue to be a public health challenge in underserved communities. The Multicultural Media Outreach program in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Office of Communications and Education engages in social media approaches to reach out and provide cancer news and information to minority communities. Social media has served as an intermediary to the minority communities as it has helped NCI tailor its outreach approach to be more culturally relevant when disseminating cancer information. The development of a Twitter feed has helped NCI multicultural media outreach build a rapidly growing community of communicators (including ethnic media outlets) and advocates that use NCI-created materials to disseminate cancer prevention and education information to members of underserved populations. Through YouTube, NCI is forging a new bond with its minority audiences with a prevention and education video series called “Lifelines.” These short, two-minute education and awareness videos feature prominent minority researchers who speak to audiences from their own communities about various cancer prevention and education topics, in addition to informing about NCI educational resources available to their respective community. These social media tools are now tied into NCI's main Facebook page where videos and other educational information are available to multicultural audiences. This presentation will provide an overview of outreach through multicultural media, present examples of cancer communication to minority audiences using social media, address the impact of social media in disseminating cancer information, and discuss best practices and lessons learned for public health professionals.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss two reasons why it’s important to use social media to reach multicultural audiences. 2. List two examples of using social media to reach minority communities. 3. Describe two ways social media can serve as a resource to reach multicultural audiences.

Keywords: Cancer, Minority Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author and presenter because I have significantly contributed to the development and implementation of the health communication approaches presented in this abstract. I have also presented at APHA and an extended background in health disparities and health communications.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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