S2058 Use of Social Media Forums Linked to Increased Awareness of the Association Between Hepatitis B, C, and Cancer

Introduction: Hepatitis B and C are well-established causes of hepatocellular carcinoma but have been linked to other cancers. With appropriate medical treatment, it is possible to achieve a functional cure for hepatitis B or sustained virologic response for hepatitis C. However, awareness of the link between these hepatitis viruses and cancer remains low. This study explores the relationship between social media use (SM) and awareness of the relationship between hepatitis B, C, and cancer. Methods: We analyzed data from adult respondents of the 2024 iteration of the health information national trends survey. Participants’ awareness of the link between hepatitis B, C, and cancer was categorized as ‘aware’ or ‘not aware’. Visiting SM sites and using SM forums for discussing medical issues were categorized as ‘never,’ ‘seldom,’ and ‘regular’. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to ascertain the relationship between SM use and awareness of the link between hepatitis B and C and cancer. Results: Among 6,549 respondents, 3,861 (59.0%) reported regular visits to SM sites while 717 (11.0%) reported regular use of SM forums for medical discussions. Less than a fifth of the population was aware of the association between hepatitis B (17.9%) or hepatitis C (16.6%) and cancer. Women were twice as likely as men (14.5% vs 7.7%), while those aged 18–34 years were 4 times as likely as those aged 65 and older (17.2% vs 4.8%) to be regular users of SM for discussing medical issues. In the adjusted models, we found no relationship between visiting SM sites and awareness of the link between hepatitis B or C and cancer. We however found that both ‘seldom’ [odds ratio [OR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–2.19] and ‘regular’ users [OR 1.48; 95% CI, 1.05–2.09] of SM forums for discussing medical issues, were more likely than ‘never’ users to be aware of the hepatitis B and cancer link. Only regular users of SM forums for discussing medical issues showed increased awareness of the hepatitis C and cancer relationship [OR 1.16; 95% CI, 0.62–2.16]. Conclusion: There remains a significant gap in public knowledge of the association between hepatitis B, C, and cancer. Regular use of SM for medical discussions was associated with increased awareness, underscoring the positive role online platforms can play in health education. The absence of a significant relationship with general SM use highlights the need for targeted interventions that actively engage SM users in health discussions.