Identifying psychosocial support needs through social listening on internet discussion forums: a case study of r/COVID19_support

Authors

  • Fathima Rushda Balabaskaran Department of Computer Science, Royal Holloway University of London, UK
  • Annabel Jones-Gammon Geography Department, Royal Holloway University of London, UK
  • Rebecca How Department of Health Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, UK
  • Jennifer Cole Lecturer in Global and Planetary Health, Department of Health Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK

Keywords:

Information science, Social listening, Disease outbreaks, Public health, Behaviour, Communication

Abstract

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a severe mental strain on people in general, and on young people in particular, especially during periods of lockdown and movement restrictions. Online support forums offer opportunities for peer-to-peer health and social support, which can ease pressure on professional and established volunteer services when demand is high. Such forums can also be used to monitor at-risk communities to identify concerns and causes of psychosocial stress. The aim of this study was to observe an online support forum to see if such a platform can be used for health surveillance or ‘social listening’, in this case to identify issues that are causing or exacerbating psychological stress and anxiety in university-age students.

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Published

2024-02-23

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 5 (2021): Global Journal of Medicine & Public Health

Section

Articles