Afterward, we identified meaningful categories from randomly selected posts from each source. We first collected large datasets of posts from each source and identified several categories. This was a 4-step process comprising data collection, identifying post content categories, performing classification experiments, and performing a demographics analysis. We analyzed two types of health-related social media: (1) health-related online forums: WebMD and DailyStrength and (2) general social networks: Google+ and Twitter. In this study, we evaluated the content of posts in various health-related social media. Health-related social media widen access to health information for the public, regardless of individuals’ race, age, locality, or education.
In addition, 40% of Americans have doubted a professional opinion when it conflicted with the opinions expressed in health-related social media. In the United States, more than 60 million Americans have read or collaborated in health 2.0 resources.
These users share their experiences, share information of friends and family, or seek help for a wide range of health issues. Health-related social media store the interactions of users who are interested in health-related topics. There is a huge amount of knowledge waiting to be extracted in health-related online social networks and forums, which we collectively refer to as social media.