VPB0126 - Assessing research collaboration networks and social media use among venous thromboembolism researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sunday, July 10, 2022

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: Exhibition

Presentation Format: Virtual

Presenting Author(s)

Divya J. Karsanji, M.Sc, MD, FRCPC

Hematology Fellow
University of Manitoba
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Co-Author(s)

JK

James A. King

Data Analyst, Centre for Health Informatics
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
JG

Jenny Godley

Sociologist and Associate Professor
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Deborah M. Siegal, MD MSc FRCPC

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Anticoagulant Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease Hematologist
The Ottawa Hospital
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
TC

Teresa M. Chan

Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Dean of Continuing Professional Development
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Gregoire Le Gal, MD PhD

MD, PhD
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Marc Carrier, MD

MD, MSc
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
SK

Susan R. Kahn

MD, MSc
McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
MR

Marc A. Rodger

Professor
Department of Medicine, McGill University, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
NL

Nicole J. Langlois

RN, MSc
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
CM

Caleb MacGillivray

Communications Manager
CanVECTOR Network
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
AG

Alexandra Garven

Research Coordinator
Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Leslie Skeith, MD

Associate Professor
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Background: The ways in which research collaborations are formed and strengthened have evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions limiting in-person meetings. Given the need to rapidly adapt to online communication, and to accelerate COVID-19 venous thromboembolism (VTE) research, social media has played an important role in all aspects of these interactions.

Aims: (1) Assess the size and geographic breadth of VTE researchers’ project collaborations before and during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) Characterize how social media platforms are used by VTE researchers.

Methods: An online survey about research collaborations and social media use was distributed in June 2020 to VTE researchers via Twitter, CanVECTOR (n=59) and INVENT (n=389) research network websites and email lists. Research collaboration data were analyzed using ego-centred social network analytic techniques to assess the size and composition of researchers’ VTE- and COVID-related collaboration networks.

Results: Over half of respondents (23/45, 51%) reported leading at least one collaborative VTE research project in the past 2 years, with 16 (36%) currently leading COVID-related VTE research. Eighteen (78%) respondents who led VTE research projects also contributed as a collaborator to VTE research projects over the past 2 years, with 17 (74%) contributing to COVID-related VTE research. Research in the VTE field is inter-institutional and international, but early COVID-related collaborations tended to be more local (Table 1). Social media platforms were used primarily by VTE researchers to collect and disseminate COVID-19 VTE research information.

Conclusion(s): Research in the VTE field is inter-institutional and international, but early COVID-related VTE research collaborations tended to be more local. Social media platforms may be useful in strengthening international collaborations between VTE researchers with similar interests.