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Assessment of Antipsychotic Medications on Social Media: Machine Learning Study
Miguel A Alvarez-Mon1,2,3, Carolina Donat-Vargas4,5, Javier Santoma-Vilaclara6
1Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|December 6, 2021
Summary
Patients frequently discuss antipsychotic side effects like sexual dysfunction and sedation online. Social media analysis reveals key patient concerns and engagement patterns, offering insights for improved clinical communication.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Social Media Analysis
- Digital Health
Background:
- Antipsychotic medications are primary treatments for schizophrenia.
- Medication non-adherence is a significant challenge in schizophrenia management.
- Understanding patient perspectives on antipsychotics is crucial for treatment adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze social media discussions surrounding antipsychotic medications.
- To identify common themes and user engagement related to antipsychotics on Twitter.
- To understand patient experiences and opinions regarding antipsychotic treatment.
Main Methods:
- Collected tweets mentioning antipsychotic medications from January 2019 to October 2020.
- Analyzed tweet content, user characteristics, retweets, and likes.
- Focused on user-generated content to gauge public perception and concerns.
Main Results:
- Patient-generated tweets predominantly focused on sexual dysfunction and sedation side effects.
- Paliperidone received low engagement despite being a newer antipsychotic.
- Tweets offering or seeking help, posted by institutions, or mentioning cognitive issues garnered higher engagement.
- Trivialization of medication effects was frequently observed.
- Limited presence of healthcare professionals and medical institutions in discussions.
Conclusions:
- Twitter user perspectives offer valuable insights into antipsychotic medication experiences.
- Analysis highlights key patient concerns, including side effects and cognitive complaints.
- Findings can inform clinicians to improve communication and address patient needs regarding antipsychotics.
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