TY - JOUR

T1 - Using social media for qualitative health research in danish women of reproductive age

T2 - Online focus group study on facebook

AU - Temmesen, Camilla Gry

AU - Nielsen, Henriette Svarre

AU - Andersen, Heidi Lene Myglegård

AU - Petersen, Kathrine Birch

AU - Clemensen, Jane

N1 - Publisher Copyright: ©Camilla Gry Temmesen, Henriette Svarre Nielsen, Heidi Lene Myglegård Andersen, Kathrine Birch Petersen, Jane Clemensen.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Social media platforms provide new possibilities within health research. With Facebook being the largest social network in the world, it constitutes a potential platform for recruitment and data collection from women of reproductive age. Women in Denmark and in other Western countries postpone motherhood and risk infertility due to their advanced age when they try to conceive. To date, no study has explored Danish women’s reflections on the timing of motherhood within a social media setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the challenges and opportunities of using Facebook as a platform for qualitative health research in Danish women of reproductive age. Methods: This study was a qualitative study based on 3 online focus groups on Facebook with 26 Danish women of reproductive age discussing the timing of motherhood in January 2020. Results: Conducting online focus groups on Facebook was successful in this study as the web-based approach was found suitable for developing qualitative data with women of reproductive age and made recruitment easy and free of charge. All participants found participating in an online focus group to be a positive experience. More than half of the women participating in the online focus groups found it advantageous to meet on Facebook instead of meeting face-to-face. Conclusions: Conducting online focus groups on Facebook is a suitable method to access qualitative data from women of reproductive age. Participants were positive toward being a part of an online focus group. Online focus groups on social media have the potential to give women of reproductive age a voice in the debate of motherhood.

AB - Background: Social media platforms provide new possibilities within health research. With Facebook being the largest social network in the world, it constitutes a potential platform for recruitment and data collection from women of reproductive age. Women in Denmark and in other Western countries postpone motherhood and risk infertility due to their advanced age when they try to conceive. To date, no study has explored Danish women’s reflections on the timing of motherhood within a social media setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the challenges and opportunities of using Facebook as a platform for qualitative health research in Danish women of reproductive age. Methods: This study was a qualitative study based on 3 online focus groups on Facebook with 26 Danish women of reproductive age discussing the timing of motherhood in January 2020. Results: Conducting online focus groups on Facebook was successful in this study as the web-based approach was found suitable for developing qualitative data with women of reproductive age and made recruitment easy and free of charge. All participants found participating in an online focus group to be a positive experience. More than half of the women participating in the online focus groups found it advantageous to meet on Facebook instead of meeting face-to-face. Conclusions: Conducting online focus groups on Facebook is a suitable method to access qualitative data from women of reproductive age. Participants were positive toward being a part of an online focus group. Online focus groups on social media have the potential to give women of reproductive age a voice in the debate of motherhood.

KW - Facebook

KW - Internet

KW - Motherhood

KW - Online focus groups

KW - Participatory design

KW - Reproduction

KW - Reproductive age

KW - Social media

KW - Women

U2 - 10.2196/24108

DO - 10.2196/24108

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34057418

AN - SCOPUS:85107431100

VL - 5

JO - JMIR Formative Research

JF - JMIR Formative Research

SN - 2561-326X

IS - 5

M1 - e24108

ER -