Pinterest as a Resource for Health Information on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A Social Media Content Analysis

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how Pinterest group pinboards are used to communicate health information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Method A nonprobability census sampling method retrieved 399 pins from the 10 most followed COPD group pinboards. Pins were coded according to COPD information categories, visual communication tools, and sources of self-efficacy. Chi-square analyses explored whether COPD information categories varied by visual communication tools and sources of self-efficacy. Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon tests determined whether or not differences existed in the number of repins/likes of visual communication tools by COPD information categories. Results: Half of the pins included COPD self-management information (n=214; 45.92%). Photographs of real people included more women than men (P=.032), more patients than providers (P=.001), and more self-management information than general COPD information (P=.021). Infographics were repinned (Mdn=107.8; P=.03) and photographs of real people were liked (Mdn=76.54; P=.04) more than other visual communication tools. Self-management pins incorporated verbal persuasion (P=.001) and social modeling (P=.001). Discussion: Pinterest may be a useful social networking website to disseminate COPD patient education targeted at women living with or at high risk for COPD. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health educators can refer female users of social media to Pinterest for literacy-sensitive information on COPD.