Analysis of Social Media Posts on Pain Medications
Author Information
Author(s): Carabot Federico, Donat-Vargas Carolina, Lara-Abelenda Francisco J., Martínez Oscar Fraile, Santoma Javier, Garcia-Montero Cielo, Valadés Teresa, Rojas Luis Gutierrez, Martinez-González MA, Ortega Miguel Angel, Alvarez-Mon Melchor, Alvarez-Mon Miguel Angel
Primary Institution: University of Alcala
Hypothesis
What are the public opinions and perceptions regarding co-analgesics as expressed on social media?
Conclusion
The study reveals that public perceptions of co-analgesics are largely negative, with many users discussing low efficacy and side effects.
Supporting Evidence
- 78% of posts discussed anticonvulsants, while 24% discussed analgesic antidepressants.
- 70% of medical content noted low medication efficacy.
- Almost 50% of posts referenced side effects.
- 67% of posts were authored by patients.
Takeaway
People on social media often talk about pain medications, and many think they don't work well and have side effects.
Methodology
The study analyzed 77,183 social media posts about co-analgesics, with 51,167 deemed classifiable, using machine learning and manual coding.
Potential Biases
The analysis may be influenced by the subjective nature of content classification and the potential for data leakage in the training/testing split.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable due to the skewed demographics of Twitter users and potential exclusion of relevant posts using different keywords.
Participant Demographics
The majority of posts were from patients, with a smaller representation from healthcare professionals and institutions.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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