Disseminating infographic scientific data about women’s genital pain using social media

Chronic genital pain affects up to 12 percent of women and is characterized by painful, distressing, and anxiety-evoking intense sensations when the vulva/vagina is touched. The multidisciplinary team at the University of British Columbia completed a grant-funded trial of group psychological skills training for women with this condition and found both experimental treatments to lead to statistically and clinically meaningful improvements for women. A 90-second infographic video (#ItsNotInYourHead) was then developed with the help of a media design partner and engaged patients. The video conveys two compelling messages:

1. Chronic genital pain is common and you are not alone.
2. There is evidence that psychological treatments can be very effective in managing symptoms.

The intention is to develop a targeted plan for widespread dissemination of the video to the target audience — primarily women (patients) who may experience chronic genital pain. This video will also be disseminated to other audiences who may benefit from the information, including women’s partners, health care providers, hospital policy makers, and the general public. The project goals are to:

1. Develop a social media outreach campaign.
2. Capture metrics associated with various forms of social media used to distribute the video.

The evaluation plan ensures that KT goals have been achieved. The overarching goal is to facilitate the update of scientific evidence from the grant-funded trial by women (and other key stakeholders) who can directly use this new knowledge.