Stakeholder engagement in research on quality of life and palliative care for brain tumors: a qualitative analysis of #BTSM and #HPM tweet chats

Liz Salmi; Hillary D Lum; Adam Hayden; Maija Reblin; Shirley Otis-Green; Grace Venechuk; Megan A Morris; Megan Griff; Bethany M Kwan

doi:10.1093/nop/npaa043

Stakeholder engagement in research on quality of life and palliative care for brain tumors: a qualitative analysis of #BTSM and #HPM tweet chats

Neurooncol Pract. 2020 Jul 29;7(6):676-684. doi: 10.1093/nop/npaa043. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Authors

Liz Salmi¹, Hillary D Lum^{2

3}, Adam Hayden⁴, Maija Reblin⁵, Shirley Otis-Green⁶, Grace Venechuk⁷, Megan A Morris^{7

8}, Megan Griff³, Bethany M Kwan^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
² VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.
³ Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
⁴ Philosophy, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
⁵ Department of Health Outcomes & Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida.
⁶ Collaborative Caring, Toluca Lake, California.
⁷ Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
⁸ Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.

Abstract

Background: Research is needed to inform palliative care models that address the full spectrum of quality of life (QoL) needs for brain tumor patients and care partners. Stakeholder engagement in research can inform research priorities; engagement via social media can complement stakeholder panels. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of Twitter to complement in-person stakeholder engagement, and report emergent themes from qualitative analysis of tweet chats on QoL needs and palliative care opportunities for brain tumor patients.

Methods: The Brain Cancer Quality of Life Collaborative engaged brain tumor (#BTSM) and palliative medicine (#HPM) stakeholder communities via Twitter using tweet chats. The #BTSM chat focused on defining and communicating about QoL among brain tumor patients. The #HPM chat discussed communication about palliative care for those facing neurological conditions. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify tweet chat themes.

Results: Analysis showed QoL for brain tumor patients and care partners includes psychosocial, physical, and cognitive concerns. Distressing concerns included behavioral changes, grief over loss of identity, changes in relationships, depression, and anxiety. Patients appreciated when providers discussed QoL early in treatment, and emphasized the need for care partner support. Communication about QoL and palliative care rely on relationships to meet evolving patient needs.

Conclusions: In addition to providing neurological and symptom management, specialized palliative care for brain tumor patients may address unmet patient and care partner psychosocial and informational needs. Stakeholder engagement using Twitter proved useful for informing research priorities and understanding stakeholder perspectives on QoL and palliative care.

Keywords: brain tumors; palliative care; quality of life; social media; stakeholder engagement.