The Use of Social Media in Recruitment for Medical Research Studies: A Scoping Review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recruiting an adequate number of participants into medical research studies is challenging for many researchers. Over the past 10 years, the use of social media websites has increased in the general population. Consequently, social media websites are a new, powerful method for recruiting participants into such studies.

Objective

The objective was to answer the following questions: (1) Is the use of social media more effective at research participant recruitment than traditional methods? (2) Does social media recruit a sample of research participants comparable to that recruited via other methods? (3) Is social media more cost-effective at research participant recruitment than traditional methods?

Methods

Using the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases, al

SUBMITTER: Topolovec-Vranic J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5118584 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature