Abstract PO-014: Online cancer misinformation interventions for young adult cancer patients and caregivers
Authors: Green Ashley J. , Smith Keely , Jimenez Jennifer Traslavina , Raber Margaret , Badger Terry , Warner Echo L. 
Published: January 2022

Purpose: We aimed to identify potential intervention strategies to mitigate the influence of online cancer misinformation among young adult cancer patients and caregivers. Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients and caregivers suffer from health disparities throughout the cancer experience, including lack of knowledge about resources and support available. Methods: Participants completed an online survey and semi-structured interviews over the telephone, which lasted 19-40 minutes (average= 33.7 minutes). We calculated descriptive statistics on sociodemographic and cancer factors. Participant's expectations and suggestions for interventions that mitigate cancer misinformation were categorized through qualitative description. Results: Of 50 screened participants, 17 completed an interview and an online survey (34% participation rate). Participants were 64.7% female, and relatively diverse: 52.9% White, 29.4% Black, 11.8% Asian, 5.9% American Indian/Alaska Native, and 5.9% preferred not to answer. Participants had multiple suggestions on how to improve social media cancer information for patients and caregivers in three areas: platform suggestions, clinician suggestions, and concerns about privacy. Feedback to resolve platform problems included adding filters/warnings to platforms to block insensitive or inaccurate information, adding more virtual events for cancer patients and caregivers (e.g., zoom calls or online conferences that share resources, personal stories, and provide interaction with fellow AYA patients/caregivers), and having an option to mute ads or suggested pages that contained cancer information. Participants also suggested that clinicians should be more vocal about recommending high quality cancer-based social media pages and online resources. Finally, some participants worried about the confidentiality of their cancer online. For example, some were concerned that online information seeking would lead their cancer diagnoses to be exposed to employers on social media. One suggestion to ameliorate this issue was to have an option of blocking specific accounts from seeing posts or group statuses that contained sensitive information about the cancer experience. Conclusions: Young cancer patients and caregivers are exposed to online cancer misinformation, and this may negatively influence their engagement in cancer care, relationships with others, and self-perception. We identify potential opportunities for social media businesses, health care teams, and legal entities to intervene with young patients and caregivers.

Citation Format: Ashley J. Green, Keely Smith, Jennifer Traslavina Jimenez, Margaret Raber, Terry Badger, Echo L. Warner. Online cancer misinformation interventions for young adult cancer patients and caregivers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-014.