Mental Health Discourses on Twitter during Mental Health Awareness Week.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Communication
• Social Media Analysis
• Public Health Awareness

Background:

• Twitter is a global platform for health campaigns, raising awareness, and disseminating information.
• Analyzing Twitter data offers insights into public attitudes, experiences, and views on health issues.
• Understanding online health discourse is crucial for effective health communication strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine Twitter discourse related to mental health during Mental Health Awareness Week 2017.
• To identify central themes and user-generated content concerning mental health and illness online.
• To explore the role of social media in public health advocacy and information dissemination.

Main Methods:

• Collected 1,200 tweets using keywords 'mental health', 'mental illness', 'mental disorders', and '#MHAW'.
• Analyzed the collected Twitter data to identify dominant discourse patterns.
• Focused on user-generated content during a specific public health campaign period.

Main Results:

• Key discourses identified were 'awareness and advocacy', 'stigmatization', and 'personal experience of mental health/illness'.
• The study highlights the prevalence of personal narratives and advocacy efforts in mental health discussions.
• Social media platforms like Twitter serve as significant spaces for sharing health experiences and combating stigma.

Conclusions:

• Twitter discourse during Mental Health Awareness Week 2017 reflects a complex interplay of awareness, stigma, and personal experience.
• Findings underscore the importance of social media in shaping public perception and facilitating health communication.
• Recommendations are provided for future research in digitally-mediated health communication and online mental health advocacy.