Examining Thematic Similarity, Difference, and Membership in Three Online Mental Health Communities from Reddit: A Text Mining and Visualization Approach.

Journal: Computers in human behavior
Published Date: Sep 6, 2017

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Social media, including online health communities, have become popular platforms for individuals to discuss health challenges and exchange social support with others. These platforms can provide support for individuals who are concerned about social stigma and discrimination associated with their illness. Although mental health conditions can share similar symptoms and even co-occur, the extent to which discussion topics in online mental health communities are similar, different, or overlapping is unknown. Discovering the topical similarities and differences could potentially inform the design of related mental health communities and patient education programs. This study employs text mining, qualitative analysis, and visualization techniques to compare discussion topics in publicly accessible online mental health communities for three conditions: Anxiety, Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Authors

  • Albert Park
    Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine University of Utah 421 Wakara Way Ste 140, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-3514, USA.
  • Mike Conway
    Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine University of Utah 421 Wakara Way Ste 140, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-3514, USA.
  • Annie T Chen
    Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, School of Medicine University of Washington Box SLU-BIME 358047, 850 Republican St, Building C, Seattle, WA 98109-4714, USA.

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