[Structural Topic Modeling Analysis of Patient Safety Interest among Health Consumers in Social Media]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Social Media Analysis

Context:

• Social media platforms are increasingly influential in shaping public discourse on healthcare.
• Understanding consumer perspectives on patient safety is crucial for improving healthcare quality.
• A longitudinal analysis of social media data provides insights into evolving public concerns.

Purpose:

• To investigate healthcare consumers' interest in patient safety on social media.
• To identify trends and changes in patient safety discussions over time using structural topic modeling (STM).
• To analyze the evolution of public discourse regarding medical accidents and safety management.

Summary:

• Analysis of 105,727 social media posts (2010-2022) revealed 13 topics grouped into three communities: systemic improvement demands, government/organizational safety efforts, and media-exposed medical accidents.
• Structural Topic Modeling (STM) identified pervasive consumer concerns about medical accountability and transparency.
• Discussions evolved from reporting incidents to demanding systemic reforms and proactive safety measures.

Impact:

• Findings underscore the need for transparent healthcare policies and open communication regarding patient safety incidents.
• Results advocate for policy reforms to enhance healthcare provider accountability and transparency.
• Emphasizes the importance of consumer engagement and education in fostering a robust patient safety culture.