Background: There is often a lack of transparency in research using online panels related to recruitment methods and sample derivation. The purpose of this study was to describe the recruitment and participation of respondents from two disparate surveys derived from the same online research panel using quota sampling.Methods: A commercial survey sampling and administration company, Qualtrics, was contracted to recruit participants and implement two Internet-based surveys. The first survey targeted adults aged 50 to 75 years and used sampling quotas to obtain diversity with respect to household income and race/ethnicity. The second focused on women aged 18 to 49 years and utilized quota sampling to achieve a geographically balanced sample.Results: A racially and economically diverse sample of older adults (n = 419) and a geographically diverse sample of younger women (n = 530) were acquired relatively quickly (within 12 and 4 days, respectively). With exception of the highest income level, quotas were implemented as requested. Recruitment of older adults took longer (vs. younger female adults). Although survey completion rates were reasonable in both studies, there were inconsistencies in the proportion of incomplete survey responses and quality fails.Conclusions: Cancer researchers, and researchers in general, should consider ways to leverage the use of online panels for future studies. To optimize novel and innovative strategies, researchers should proactively ask questions about panels and carefully consider the strengths and drawbacks of online survey features including quota sampling and forced response.Impact: Results provide practical insights for cancer researchers developing future online surveys and recruitment protocols.See all articles in this CEBP Focus section, “Modernizing Population Science.”

Background: Suicide is a significant public health concern with approximately a million deaths from suicide worldwide each year. There is increasing evidence that media reporting of suicide can lead to imitative suicidal behaviors, and the World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines for reporting suicides provided a framework of analysis. Given the use and reach of visual social media platforms like Instagram and the paucity of research focusing on the platform, the potential for contagion effects via a social media platform like Instagram should be considered. As such, understanding conversations about suicide on Instagram is of interest to health communicators, public health professionals, and mental health professionals alike. Method: This study examines both the visual and textual components of suicide-themed posts on social media platform Instagram. A random sample of 500 Instagram posts including the hashtags #suicide and/or #suicidal were extracted from a larger sample collected during March-June 2016. Results: Results show that self-harm was present in a majority of Instagram posts, and that posts that mention suicide ideation elicited higher engagement than posts that did not. Public health voices were largely absent from the conversation surrounding suicide on Instagram. Finally, few of the constructive WHO recommendations to prevent media contagion were visible in the study sample. These guidelines should be considered for participation in suicide-related online conversations. Conclusions: Instagram appears to be used frequently for suicide-related communications. Public health and mental health professionals should consider increased involvement on this platform, as well as application of the WHO suicide contagion media guidelines.

Using the Health Belief Model to Analyze #Zika on Instagram for Public Health Communications

Twitter is playing an increasing role in health communications, but little is known about the Twitter use of national health departments in general and across different nations in particular. This quantitative content analysis of 1,200 tweets from 12 national health departments showed that the topics covered in these tweets are often lacking in broad coverage – cardiovascular disease is barely mentioned, while infectious diseases are often highlighted – and the tweets do not try to initiate engagement through creating a two-way dialogue with followers. However, the tweets appear to use Health Belief Model constructs, such as initiating cues to action, mentioning self-efficacy and highlighting perceived benefits of health preventative, treatment or screening options, and this is associated with increased Twitter engagement. The paper ends with recommendations for both future studies and new challenges for the use of Twitter by national health departments.