ECHO LYN WARNER portrait
  • Associate Member, Huntsman Cancer Institute
  • Assistant Professor, College Of Nursing

Research Statement

Since 2012, I have been immersed in research on adolescent and young adult (AYA) patient and caregiver cancer experiences, with a special emphasis on social media use. As a doctoral student I studied how AYA cancer caregivers use social media for social support, including the prevalence and change in five types of social support on Facebook and Instagram over the first six months of caregiving. My research received recognition as a top rated abstract and is now published in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology. This work catalyzed my research expertise setting the stage for my dissertation research (NCI 1F31CA221000) and a prestigious two-year fellowship from the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence. These opportunities facilitated my specialized research skillset in social media data collection and analysis. I gained a conceptual understanding of social networks and cancer-related discourse on social media, which fostered my commitment to studying cancer misinformation online.

As a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arizona Cancer Center in their T32 Cancer Prevention and Control Health Disparities Research Program (NCI T32CA078447) my research focused on the interpretation and spread of cancer misinformation and vaccine misinformation on social media, including on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter with an emphasis on health literacy among racial and ethnic minorities. My current research encompasses a range of social media data collection methods and analytic procedures which I have honed over more than a decade of research experiences. Ongoing projects include 1) studying novel approaches for measuring exposure to and types of online health misinformation, especially cancer misinformation; 2) crafting and implementing mixed methods study designs and data integration; 3) engaging with interdisciplinary teams to use digital media to study patterns of HPV vaccine misinformation, to use social media to deliver cancer prevention information to emerging adults in rural communities, and to improve the delivery of health insurance education to adolescent and young adult cancer patients and caregivers. 

Research Keywords

  • Social Media Research
  • Misinformation
  • Family and Informal Caregiving
  • Emerging Adults
  • Cancer Communication
  • Adolescents

Presentations

  • What is the truth? Misinformation research. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/2024.
  • Social Media Use among Young Cancer Patients and Caregivers. Digital Health and Data Innovations to Improve Outcomes in Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2023.
  • Perceptions of Online Cancer Misinformation among Cancer Patients. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2023.
  • Grant Opportunities, Challenges, and the Entire Submission Process. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/2023.
  • 2. Warner EL, Kirchhoff AC, Kim, Carol, Marjorie. Changes in caregiver employment differentially affect cancer patient’s financial hardship by patient age in Utah. Podium presentation at the American Society of Preventive Oncology Annual Meeting. March 2021. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/01/2021.
  • 1. Warner EL, Green A, Smith K, Traslavina Jimenez J, Badger T. Patient and caregiver use of social media for cancer information and solutions to combat misinformation. Podium presentation at the Global Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Congress. December 2021. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/01/2020.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • Dominica
    My research interests in Dominica relate to cancer health education in the Indigenous Kalinago community.

Publications

  • Warner EL & Barbati JL (2022). Vaccine misinformation types and properties in Russian troll tweets. Vaccine. Vol. 40, 953-960. Published, 03/01/2022.
  • Warner EL, Kirchhoff AC, Wilson A & Cloyes KG (2022). Social support enactments on social media during the first 6 months of young adult cancer caregiving. Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice. Vol. 16, 61-72. Published, 03/01/2022.
  • Warner EL & Waters AR (2021). Young adult cancer caregivers' exposure to cancer misinformation on social media. Cancer. Vol. 127, 1318-1324. Published, 11/01/2021.
  • Waters AR & Gren LH (2021). Qualitative inquiry of cancer caregiving during young adulthood: responsibilities, challenges, teamwork, and social support. Journal of psychosocial oncology research and practice. Vol. 3. Published, 11/01/2021.
  • Kirchhoff AC, Spraker-Perlman HL & McFadden M (2021). Sociodemographic Disparities in Quality of Life for Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 3, 66-74. Published, 10/01/2021.
  • Kaddas HK, Pannier ST, Mann K, Waters AR & Salmon S (2021). Age-Related Differences in Financial Toxicity and Unmet Resource Needs Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 9, 105-110. Published, 03/01/2021.
  • Mann K, Wu YP, Pannier ST, Hacking C & Warner EL (2021). Healthcare provider perspectives on pediatric cancer survivorship care plans: a single institution pilot study. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. Vol. 29, 697-706. Published, 02/01/2021.
  • Warner EL, Vaca Lopez PL, Kepka D, Mann K & Kaddas HK (2021). Influence of provider recommendations to restart vaccines after childhood cancer on caregiver intention to vaccinate. Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice. Vol. 14, 757-767. Published, 02/01/2021.
  • Warner EL, Kirchhoff AC & Ellington L (2020). Young adult cancer caregivers' use of social media for social support. Psycho-oncology. Vol. 29, 1185-1192. Published, 12/01/2020.
  • Ou JY, Warner EL, Nam GE & Martel L (2020). Colorectal cancer knowledge and screening adherence among low-income Hispanic employees. Health education research. Vol. 34, 400-414. Published, 05/01/2020.
  • Pannier ST, Warner EL & Fowler B (2020). Age-Specific Patient Navigation Preferences Among Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer. Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education. Vol. 34, 242-251. Published, 04/01/2020.
  • Warner EL, Martel L, Ou JY & Nam GE (2020). A Workplace-Based Intervention to Improve Awareness, Knowledge, and Utilization of Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screenings Among Latino Service and Manual Labor Employees in Utah. Journal of community health. Vol. 44, 256-264. Published, 04/01/2020.
  • Kirchhoff AC, Mann K, Warner EL & Kaddas HK (2020). HPV vaccination knowledge, intentions, and practices among caregivers of childhood cancer survivors. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics. Vol. 15, 1767-1775. Published, 03/01/2020.
  • Kirchhoff AC, Nipp R, Warner EL, Kuhlthau K, Leisenring WM & Donelan K (2019). "Job Lock" Among Long-term Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. JAMA oncology. Vol. 4, 707-711. Published, 09/01/2019.
  • Warner EL, Fowler B, Pannier ST & Salmon SK (2019). Patient Navigation Preferences for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Services by Distance to Treatment Location. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 7, 438-444. Published, 09/01/2019.
  • Martin S, Warner EL & Kirchhoff AC (2019). An Electronic Medical Record Alert Intervention to Improve HPV Vaccination Among Eligible Male College Students at a University Student Health Center. Journal of community health. Vol. 43, 756-760. Published, 09/01/2019.
  • Warner EL & Ellington L (2019). Acquisition of Social Support and Linguistic Characteristics of Social Media Posts About Young Adult Cancer. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 7, 196-203. Published, 08/01/2019.
  • Warner EL, Bodson J & Mooney R (2019). Latinas' Colorectal Cancer Screening Knowledge, Barriers to Receipt, and Feasibility of Home-Based Fecal Immunochemical Testing. Journal of immigrant and minority health. Vol. 20, 981-990. Published, 05/01/2019.
  • Warner EL & Fowler B (2018). Improving HPV Vaccination Through a Diverse Multi-state Coalition. Journal of community health. Vol. 42, 911-920. Published, 10/01/2018.
  • Lai D, Bodson J & Warner EL (2018). Younger Age and Health Beliefs Associated with Being Overdue for Pap Testing among Utah Latinas who were Non-Adherent to Cancer Screening Guidelines. Journal of immigrant and minority health. Vol. 19, 1088-1099. Published, 08/01/2018.
  • Kirchhoff AC, Fowler B, Warner EL, Pannier ST & Fair D (2018). Supporting Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: Oncology Provider Perceptions of Adolescent and Young Adult Unmet Needs. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 6, 519-523. Published, 07/01/2018.
  • Smits-Seemann RR & Yi J (2018). A Qualitative Inquiry of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors' Perspectives of Independence. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology. Vol. 6, 91-95. Published, 06/01/2018.
  • Bodson J, Ding Q & Warner EL (2018). Sub-Regional Assessment of HPV Vaccination Among Female Adolescents in the Intermountain West and Implications for Intervention Opportunities. Maternal and child health journal. Vol. 21, 1500-1511. Published, 03/01/2018.
  • Warner EL & Kirchhoff AC (2018). Financial Burden of Pediatric Cancer for Patients and Their Families. Journal of oncology practice. Vol. 11, 12-8. Published, 02/01/2018.
  • Kepka D, Spigarelli MG & Warner EL (2018). Statewide analysis of missed opportunities for human papillomavirus vaccination using vaccine registry data. Papillomavirus research (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Vol. 2, 128-132. Published, 02/01/2018.
  • Fowler B & Bodson J (2018). Poor HPV vaccine-related awareness and knowledge among Utah Latinas overdue for recommended cancer screenings. Journal of community health. Vol. 41, 825-37. Published, 01/01/2018.
  • Bodson J (2017). Moderate Awareness and Limited Knowledge Relating to Cervical Cancer, HPV, and the HPV Vaccine Among Hispanics/Latinos in Utah. Health promotion practice. Vol. 17, 548-56. Published, 11/01/2017.
  • Zamora ER, Yi J & Akter J (2017). 'Having cancer was awful but also something good came out': Post-traumatic growth among adult survivors of pediatric and adolescent cancer. European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society. Vol. 28, 21-27. Published, 10/01/2017.
  • Nam GE, Warner EL & Morreall DK (2017). Understanding psychological distress among pediatric cancer caregivers. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. Vol. 24, 3147-55. Published, 09/01/2017.
  • Lai D & Ding Q (2017). Factors Associated with Increased HPV Vaccine Use in Rural-Frontier U.S. States. Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.). Vol. 33, 283-94. Published, 03/01/2017.
  • Henry KA & Stroup AM (2016). Geographic Factors and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Initiation among Adolescent Girls in the United States. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. Vol. 25, 309-17. Published, 12/01/2016.
  • Kepka D & Warner EL (2016). Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine knowledge among Latino parents in Utah. Journal of immigrant and minority health. Vol. 17, 125-31. Published, 11/01/2016.
  • Warner EL, Nam GE, Zhang Y & McFadden M (2016). Health behaviors, quality of life, and psychosocial health among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers. Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice. Vol. 10, 280-90. Published, 11/01/2016.
  • Warner EL, Wu YP & Hacking CC (2016). An Assessment to Inform Pediatric Cancer Provider Development and Delivery of Survivor Care Plans. Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education. Vol. 30, 677-84. Published, 09/01/2016.
  • Kepka D & Ding Q (2016). Latino Parents' Awareness and Receipt of the HPV Vaccine for Sons and Daughters in a State with Low Three-Dose Completion. Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education. Vol. 30, 808-12. Published, 09/01/2016.
  • Warner EL, Kent EE & Trevino KM (2016). Social well-being among adolescents and young adults with cancer: A systematic review. Cancer. Vol. 122, 1029-37. Published, 08/01/2016.
  • Warner EL & Montenegro RE (2016). Health care concerns of rural childhood cancer survivors. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved. Vol. 25, 901-12. Published, 05/01/2016.
  • Warner EL, Lai D & Carbajal-Salisbury S (2016). Latino Parents' Perceptions of the HPV Vaccine for Sons and Daughters. Journal of community health. Vol. 40, 387-94. Published, 02/01/2016.
  • Kirchhoff AC, Montenegro RE, Warner EL & Wright J (2014). Childhood cancer survivors' primary care and follow-up experiences. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. Vol. 22, 1629-35. Published, 07/01/2014.