Exploring Public Perception of Palliative Care and Hospice: YouTube Comments Sentiment Analysis and Topic Modeling

Although scientific progress has enabled South Koreans to live longer, it has also amplified the incidence of chronic illnesses, leaving terminal patients and their caregivers struggling with significant physical and emotional burdens. We analyzed public perceptions of palliative care and hospice using sentiment analysis and topic modeling of 12,156 YouTube comments. Neutral comments were the most prevalent (57.8%), followed by negative (23.0%) and positive (19.2%) comments. Key themes included religious beliefs about death, pain management, family caregiving, and ethical considerations regarding dignified death. The findings highlight the diverse emotional and cultural perceptions of palliative care and hospice and reveal barriers such as stigma and misinformation. These insights can inform educational initiatives and policies to improve public understanding and acceptance of end-of-life care.