This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced Twitter discussions about Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Using sentiment and topic analysis, we analyzed tweets before and after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The results reveal shifts in conversation focus and emotional tone, providing insights into how global health crises impact online discourse for vulnerable populations.
What was the context of the study?
MS is a disease that affects the nervous system and can be emotionally challenging for patients. Many people with MS use Twitter to share their experiences and find support. The COVID-19 pandemic brought major changes to everyone’s lives, so we studied how it affected MS-related discussions on Twitter.
What did we do?
We collected tweets about MS from before and after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020. Using a tool called SentiStrength, we analyzed whether the tweets had positive or negative emotions. We also looked at the most talked-about topics, like MS treatments, emotional support, and the pandemic.
What did we find?
After the pandemic started, people talked more about healthcare professionals, living with chronic conditions, and COVID-19 itself. Negative emotions about MS increased, especially around emotional struggles and MS treatments. On the other hand, tweets about raising awareness for MS became less common.
Why is this important?
Social media gives people with MS a platform to share feelings and connect, but the pandemic brought more stress and negativity into the conversation. Understanding these changes can help public health organizations provide better support online during global crises.
Reference
Giunti G, Claes M, Dorronzoro Zubiete E, Rivera-Romero O, Gabarron E. Analysing Sentiment and Topics Related to Multiple Sclerosis on Twitter. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2020 Jun 16;270:911-915. doi: https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI200294. PMID: 32570514.