Identification of potential opinion leaders in child health promotion in Sweden using network analysis

BMC Research Notes

Sven Bremberg¹  Monica K Nordvik²  Karin Guldbrandsson¹ 

[1] The Swedish National Institute of Public Health, Östersund, Sweden;Department of Social Work, Mid-Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden

关键词: Child health promotion;    Opinion leaders;    Network analysis;   

Others  :  1165969
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-5-424

 received in 2012-06-13, accepted in 2012-07-25,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Opinion leaders are often local individuals with high credibility who can influence other people. Robust effects using opinion leaders in diffusing innovations have been shown in several randomized controlled trials, for example regarding sexually transmitted infections (STI), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, mammography rates and caesarean birth delivery rates. In a Cochrane review 2010 it was concluded that the use of opinion leaders can successfully promote evidence-based practice. Thus, using opinion leaders within the public health sector might be one means to speed up the dissemination of health promoting and disease preventing innovations. Social network analysis has been used to trace and map networks, with focus on relationships and positions, in widely spread arenas and topics. The purpose of this study was to use social network analysis in order to identify potential opinion leaders at the arena of child health promotion in Sweden.

Results

By using snowball technique a short e-mail question was spread in up to five links, starting from seven initially invited persons. This inquiry resulted in a network consisting of 153 individuals. The most often mentioned actors were researchers, public health officials and paediatricians, or a combination of these professions. Four single individuals were mentioned by five to seven other persons in the network. These individuals obviously possess qualities that make other professionals within the public health sector listen to and trust them.

Conclusions

Social network analysis seemed to be a useful method to identify influential persons with high credibility, i.e. potential opinion leaders, at the arena of child health promotion in Sweden. If genuine opinion leaders could be identified directed measures can be carried out in order to spread new and relevant knowledge. This may facilitate for public health actors at the local, regional and national level to more rapidly progress innovations into everyday practice. However, effectiveness studies of opinion leaders in the public health sector still have to be performed.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Guldbrandsson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Hanney S, Mugford M, Grant J, Buxton M: Assessing the benefits of health research: lessons from research into the use of antenatal corticosteroids for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Soc Sci Med 2005, 60(5):937-947.
• [2]Rogers : Diffusion of Innovations. 5th edition. London:Free Press; 2003.
• [3]Dearing JW: Applying Diffusion of Innovation Theory to Intervention Development. Res Soc Work Pract 2009, 19(5):503-518.
• [4]Flodgren G, Parmelli E, Doumit G, Gattellari M, O’Brian M, Grimshaw J, Eccles M: Local opinion leaders: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. The Cochrane Library 2010 2010, CD000125. Issue 11. Art. No
• [5]Grimshaw J, Eccles M, Lavis J, Hill S, Squires J: Knowledge translation of research findings. Implement Sci 2012, 7(1):50.
• [6]Celentano DD, Bond KC, Lyles CM, Eiumtrakul S, Go VF-L, Beyrer C, Chiangmai C, Nelson KE, Khamboonruang C, Vaddhanaphuti C: Preventive Intervention to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Field Trial in the Royal Thai Army. Arch Intern Med 2000, 160(4):535-540.
• [7]Earp JA, Eng E, O'Malley MS, Altpeter M, Rauscher G, Mayne L, Mathews HF, Lynch KS, Qaqish B: Increasing Use of Mammography Among Older, Rural African American Women: Results From a Community Trial. Am J Public Health 2002, 92(4):646-654.
• [8]Lomas J, Enkin M, Anderson GM, Hannah WJ, Vayda E, Singer J: Opinion Leaders vs Audit and Feedback to Implement Practice Guidelines: Delivery After Previous Cesarean Section. JAMA 1991, 265(17):2202-2207.
• [9]Doumit G, Gattellari M, Grimshaw JM, O'Brian M: Local opinion leaders: effect on professional practice and health care outcomes. The Cochrane Library 2007Issue 1. Art. No.
• [10]Grimshaw J, Eccles M, Greener J, Maclennan G, Ibbotson T, Kahan J, Sullivan F: Is the involvement of opinion leaders in the implementation of research findings a feasible strategy? Implement Sci 2006, 1(1):3. BioMed Central Full Text
• [11]Valente TW, Pumpuang P: Identifying Opinion Leaders to Promote Behavior Change. Health Educ Behav 2007, 34(6):881-896.
• [12]Nordvik MK, Liljeros F, Österlund A, Herrmann B: Spatial bridges and the spread of chlamydia: The case of a county in Sweden. Sex Transm Dis 2007, 34(1):47-53.
• [13]Krebs VE: Mapping Networks of Terrorist Cells. Connections 2002, 24(3):43-52.
• [14]Hedström P, Ka-Yuet L, Nordvik MK: Interactions domains and suicide: A population-based panel study of suicides in Stockholm, 1991–1999. Soc Forces 2008, 87(2):713-740.
• [15]Strauss RS, Pollack HA: Social Marginalization of Overweight Children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003, 157(8):746-752.
• [16]Fowler JH, Christakis NA: Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study. BMJ 2008, 337:a2338.
• [17]Wensing M, van Lieshout J, Koetsenruiter J, Reeves D: Information exchange networks for chronic illness care in primary care practices: an observational study. Implement Sci 2010, 5(1):3. BioMed Central Full Text
• [18]Nordvik MK: Contagious Interactions: Essays on social and epidemiological networks. Department of Sociology:Stockholm University; 2008.
• [19]Batagelj V, Mrvar A: Pajek - Program for Large Network Analysis. Connections 1998, 21(2):47-57.
• [20]Ministry of Education and Science: Ethics regarding research on humans Volume SFS 2003:460. Swedish:The Swedish Government; 2003.
• [21]Hogstedt C, Lundgren B, Moberg H, Pettersson B, Agren G: The Swedish public health policy and the National Institute of Public Health. Scand J Public Health 2004, 64(Suppl):3-64.