Reducing misleading prostate cancer information online
Addressing Circulation of Guideline-Discordant Information to Promote Optimal Prostate Cancer Care
This project will test a digital-skills program to help adults, especially men at higher risk for prostate cancer, find and use trustworthy online information.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258892 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will first map the most common types of misleading or guideline-discordant prostate cancer content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok in both English and Spanish. Next, we will talk with and study how men at higher risk for prostate cancer judge and use online information. Finally, we will run a randomized trial offering a digital-skills intervention to U.S. adults to see if it improves their ability to spot reliable prostate cancer information. Patients and community advisors will help guide the work and share results with the public.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are U.S. adults, particularly men at higher risk for prostate cancer or frequent users of social media who want help judging online health information.
Not a fit: People who do not use social media or who do not read English or Spanish may not receive direct benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help people find accurate prostate cancer information online and make better care decisions, improving quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Some digital-literacy programs have helped people spot health misinformation, but applying and testing this kind of intervention specifically for prostate cancer online content is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loeb, Stacy — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Loeb, Stacy
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.