Facebook launches new Preventive Health tool to provide people with health screening guidance
The American Cancer Society is partnering with social media giant Facebook to provide breast, cervical, lung, and colorectal screening content for its new Preventive Health tool.
The tool offers consumers evidence-based health information to help them make informed health care decisions. Also providing Facebook with health content are the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Starting October 28, the tool will begin rolling out to people, but anyone can start using it by searching for Preventive Health in the Facebook mobile app. Facebook views this tool as a resource to help people be their own health advocate, starting with cancer and heart disease, two leading causes of death, as well as the flu, a seasonal illness that affects millions each year.
“One of the main reasons people don’t get screened for cancer is that they don’t realize their own risk,” said Rich Wender, MD, our chief cancer control officer. “We hope this program will help by building awareness about important recommendations from expert organizations.” As a content provider partner, both Rich and Bob Smith, PhD, our vice president for cancer screening, worked closely with Facebook to ensure accurate information, based on ACS guidelines.
Read the CNN story about the tool. Rich is quoted in it.
How It Works
In the U.S., tests (for people at average health risk) are recommended based on a person’s age and sex. This new tool allows people to mark when tests are completed, set reminders to schedule future tests, and encourage loved ones to use Preventive Health to take preventive health actions, too. People can also learn more about each checkup and find Federally Qualified Health Centers near them. Most recommended tests, such as blood pressure tests and breast cancer screenings, are at low- or no-cost with insurance coverage.
When designing Preventive Health, Facebook considered safety and privacy issues, taking extra steps to protect privacy and collect a limited amount of information necessary to make the tool work. Preventive Health allows people to set reminders for future checkups and mark them as done, but it doesn’t provide Facebook, or the health organizations providing content, access to actual test results.
With the launch of Preventive Health, Facebook will introduce the tool to people (eligible for the recommended checkups based on age) in their News Feeds, encouraging them to explore the tool. The tool can also be accessed by going directly to the Facebook landing page.
*Re-posted from MySocietySource.
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