1
|
Tan M, Wu Z, Li J, Liang Y, Lv W. Analyzing the impact of unemployment on mental health among Chinese university graduates: a study of emotional and linguistic patterns on Weibo. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1337859. [PMID: 38784586 PMCID: PMC11111880 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1337859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study explores the intricate relationship between unemployment rates and emotional responses among Chinese university graduates, analyzing how these factors correlate with specific linguistic features on the popular social media platform Sina Weibo. The goal is to uncover patterns that elucidate the psychological and emotional dimensions of unemployment challenges among this demographic. Methods The analysis utilized a dataset of 30,540 Sina Weibo posts containing specific keywords related to unemployment and anxiety, collected from January 2019 to June 2023. The posts were pre-processed to eliminate noise and refine the data quality. Linear regression and textual analyses were employed to identify correlations between unemployment rates for individuals aged 16-24 and the linguistic characteristics of the posts. Results The study found significant fluctuations in urban youth unemployment rates, peaking at 21.3% in June 2023. A corresponding increase in anxiety-related expressions was noted in the social media posts, with peak expressions aligning with high unemployment rates. Linguistic analysis revealed that the category of "Affect" showed a strong positive correlation with unemployment rates, indicating increased emotional expression alongside rising unemployment. Other categories such as "Negative emotion" and "Sadness" also showed significant correlations, highlighting a robust relationship between economic challenges and emotional distress. Conclusion The findings underscore the profound impact of unemployment on the emotional well-being of university students, suggesting that economic hardships are closely linked to psychological stress and heightened negative emotions. This study contributes to a holistic understanding of the socio-economic challenges faced by young adults, advocating for comprehensive support systems that address both the economic and psychological facets of unemployment.
Collapse
|
2
|
Monteith S, Glenn T, Geddes JR, Whybrow PC, Achtyes ED, Bauer M. Implications of Online Self-Diagnosis in Psychiatry. PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY 2024; 57:45-52. [PMID: 38471511 DOI: 10.1055/a-2268-5441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Online self-diagnosis of psychiatric disorders by the general public is increasing. The reasons for the increase include the expansion of Internet technologies and the use of social media, the rapid growth of direct-to-consumer e-commerce in healthcare, and the increased emphasis on patient involvement in decision making. The publicity given to artificial intelligence (AI) has also contributed to the increased use of online screening tools by the general public. This paper aims to review factors contributing to the expansion of online self-diagnosis by the general public, and discuss both the risks and benefits of online self-diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. A narrative review was performed with examples obtained from the scientific literature and commercial articles written for the general public. Online self-diagnosis of psychiatric disorders is growing rapidly. Some people with a positive result on a screening tool will seek professional help. However, there are many potential risks for patients who self-diagnose, including an incorrect or dangerous diagnosis, increased patient anxiety about the diagnosis, obtaining unfiltered advice on social media, using the self-diagnosis to self-treat, including online purchase of medications without a prescription, and technical issues including the loss of privacy. Physicians need to be aware of the increase in self-diagnosis by the general public and the potential risks, both medical and technical. Psychiatrists must recognize that the general public is often unaware of the challenging medical and technical issues involved in the diagnosis of a mental disorder, and be ready to treat patients who have already obtained an online self-diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Monteith
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Traverse City Campus, Traverse City, Michigan, USA
| | - Tasha Glenn
- ChronoRecord Association, Fullerton, California, USA
| | - John R Geddes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter C Whybrow
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Eric D Achtyes
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Medical Faculty, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Caldwell-Harris CL, McGlowan T, Beitia K. Autistic discussion forums: insights into the topics that clinicians don't know about. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1271841. [PMID: 38169812 PMCID: PMC10758484 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1271841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background User-led autism discussion forums provide a wealth of information about autistic lived experiences, albeit oriented toward those who regularly use computers. We contend that healthcare professionals should read autism discussion forums to gain insight, be informed, and in some cases, to correct assumptions about autistic persons' lives and possibilities. But experts may be dismissive of user-led forums, believing forums to be filled with myths, misinformation, and combative postings. The questions motivating our research were: Do online forums raise issues that are educational for clinicians and other stakeholders? Are forums useful for those who do empirical research? Method Content analysis was conducted on 300 posts (62,000 words) from Reddit, Quora, and Wrong Planet. Forums were sampled to reflect broad topics; posts were selected sequentially from the identified forums. The authors read through posts in the Excel sheet, highlighting statements that were the main ideas of the post, to discern both broad categories of topics and more specific topics. We coded content pertinent to classic autism myths and analyzed attitudes towards myths such as 'lack emotion' and 'cannot form relationships.' To document whether forum posts discuss topics that are not widely known outside of elite experts, we compared discussion content to new material about autism contained in the March 2022 DSM 5 Text revision. Results Classic autism myths were discussed with examples of when elements of myths may be valid. Posters described cases where parents or therapists believed myths. Experts may believe autism myths due to rapid changes in diagnostic practices and due to their lack of knowledge regarding the characteristics of autistic people who have typical intellectual abilities. We conclude that forums contain high-value information for clinicians because all concepts in the DSM 5 text revision were discussed by posters in the years before the text revision appeared. Ideas that are only slowly becoming part of the research literature are discussed at length in forums. Reading and analyzing forums is useful for both clinicians and scientists. In addition, the relative ease of forum analysis lowers the bar for entry into the research process.
Collapse
|
4
|
Horwood G, Augoustinos M, Due C. "I *know* all the things I should be doing …": accounting for mental health and illness in an online mental health discussion forum during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:370. [PMID: 37932851 PMCID: PMC10626693 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01424-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health is highly correlated with a person's social and economic circumstances, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic made this connection uniquely visible. Yet a discourse of personal responsibility for mental health often dominates in mental health promotion campaigns, media coverage and lay understandings, contributing to the stigmatisation of mental ill-health. METHODS In this study, we analysed how the concept of 'mental health' was discursively constructed in an online mental health peer-support forum in Australia during 2020, the period of the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. An approach informed by Critical Discursive Psychology was employed to analyse all posts made to a discussion thread entitled "Coping during the coronavirus outbreak" in 2020, a total of 1,687 posts. RESULTS Two main interpretative repertoires concerning mental health were identified. Under the first repertoire, mental health was understood as resulting largely from the regular performance of a suite of self-care behaviours. Under the second repertoire, mental health was understood as resulting largely from external circumstances outside of the individual's control. The existence of two different repertoires of mental health created an ideological dilemma which posters negotiated when reporting mental ill-health. A recurring pattern of accounting for mental ill-health was noted in which posters employed a three-part concessive structure to concede Repertoire 1 amid assertions of Repertoire 2; and used disclaimers, justifications, and excuses to avoid negative typification of their identity as ignorant or irresponsible. CONCLUSIONS Mental ill-health was commonly oriented to by forum posters as an accountable or morally untoward state, indicating the societal pervasiveness of a discourse of personal responsibility for mental health. Such discourses are likely to contribute to the stigmatisation of those suffering from mental ill-health. There is a need therefore for future communications about mental health to be framed in a way that increases awareness of social determinants, as well as for policy responses to effect material change to social determinants of mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace Horwood
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
| | - Martha Augoustinos
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Clemence Due
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Talbot A, Ford T, Ryan S, Mahtani KR, Albury C. #TreatmentResistantDepression: A qualitative content analysis of Tweets about difficult-to-treat depression. Health Expect 2023; 26:1986-1996. [PMID: 37350377 PMCID: PMC10485331 DOI: 10.1111/hex.13807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is depression unresponsive to antidepressants and affects 55% of British primary care users with depression. Current evidence is from secondary care, but long referral times mean general practitioners (GPs) manage TRD. Studies show that people with depression use Twitter to form community and document symptoms. However, Twitter remains a largely unexplored space of documented patient experience. Twitter data could provide valuable insights into learning about primary care experiences of TRD. In this study, we explored Twitter comments and conversations about TRD and produced patient-driven recommendations. METHODS Tweets from UK-based users were collected manually and using a browser extension in June 2021. Conventional content analysis was used to provide an overview of the Tweets, followed by interpretation to understand why Twitter may be important to people with TRD. RESULTS A total of 415 Tweets were organised into five clusters: self-diagnosis, symptoms, support, small wins and condition experts. These Tweets were interpreted as showing Twitter as a community for people with TRD. People had a collective sense of illness identity and were united in their experiences of TRD. However, users in the community also highlighted the absence of effective GP care, leading users to position themselves as condition experts. Users shared advice from a place of lived experience with the community but also shared potentially harmful information, including recommendations about nonevidence-based medications. CONCLUSIONS Findings illuminate the benefits of the TRD Twitter community and also highlight that the perception of a lack of knowledge and support from GPs may lead community members to advise nonevidenced-based medications. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION This study was led by a person with lived experience of TRD and bipolar. Two public contributors with mental health conditions gave feedback on our study protocol and results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Talbot
- Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory QuarterUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Tori Ford
- Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory QuarterUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Sara Ryan
- Department of Social Care and Social WorkManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Kamal R. Mahtani
- Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory QuarterUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Charlotte Albury
- Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory QuarterUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tucker I, Easton K, Prestwood R. Digital community assets: Investigating the impact of online engagement with arts and peer support groups on mental health during COVID-19. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2023; 45:666-683. [PMID: 36789720 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The digitisation of mental health support has accelerated since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the impact of digital engagement with community assets on mental health during COVID-19. Digital engagement is typically not location-bound, but the restricted movement enforced during 'lockdowns' meant that people were primarily accessing digital community assets from their home environments. We report findings from a study utilising two creative workshops and semi-structured interviews to investigate how support operates in and through three digital community assets; an online peer support forum, a social enterprise running regular creative challenges nationally via social media and a local in-person creative arts support group. The concept of 'more or less digital' captures the ways that people's experiences of digital community assets extend beyond the platforms to incorporate settings of use. The analysis identifies how support is diluted through digital engagement, the value of minimal and muted forms of engagement and user-led designs for future hybrid forms of support. The article concludes by emphasising the importance of analysing digital community asset engagement in the settings of use and how such knowledge is vital for planning support in a future under continual pressure to be increasingly digital.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Tucker
- School of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Timakum T, Song M, Kim G. Integrated entitymetrics analysis for health information on bipolar disorder using social media data and scientific literature. ASLIB J INFORM MANAG 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/ajim-02-2022-0090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis study aimed to examine the mental health information entities and associations between the biomedical, psychological and social domains of bipolar disorder (BD) by analyzing social media data and scientific literature.Design/methodology/approachReddit posts and full-text papers from PubMed Central (PMC) were collected. The text analysis was used to create a psychological dictionary. The text mining tools were applied to extract BD entities and their relationships in the datasets using a dictionary- and rule-based approach. Lastly, social network analysis and visualization were employed to view the associations.FindingsMental health information on the drug side effects entity was detected frequently in both datasets. In the affective category, the most frequent entities were “depressed” and “severe” in the social media and PMC data, respectively. The social and personal concerns entities that related to friends, family, self-attitude and economy were found repeatedly in the Reddit data. The relationships between the biomedical and psychological processes, “afraid” and “Lithium” and “schizophrenia” and “suicidal,” were identified often in the social media and PMC data, respectively.Originality/valueMental health information has been increasingly sought-after, and BD is a mental illness with complicated factors in the clinical picture. This paper has made an original contribution to comprehending the biological, psychological and social factors of BD. Importantly, these results have highlighted the benefit of mental health informatics that can be analyzed in the laboratory and social media domains.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bizzotto N, Morlino S, Schulz PJ. Misinformation in Italian Online Mental Health Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Content Analysis Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2022; 11:e35347. [PMID: 35594142 PMCID: PMC9166639 DOI: 10.2196/35347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Social media platforms are widely used by people suffering from mental illnesses to cope with their conditions. One modality of coping with these conditions is navigating online communities where people can receive emotional support and informational advice. Benefits have been documented in terms of impact on health outcomes. However, the pitfalls are still unknown, as not all content is necessarily helpful or correct. Furthermore, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and related problems, such as worsening mental health symptoms, the dissemination of conspiracy narratives, and medical distrust, may have impacted these online communities. The situation in Italy is of particular interest, being the first Western country to experience a nationwide lockdown. Particularly during this challenging time, the beneficial role of community moderators with professional mental health expertise needs to be investigated in terms of uncovering misleading information and regulating communities. Objective The aim of the proposed study is to investigate the potentially harmful content found in online communities for mental health symptoms in the Italian language. Besides descriptive information about the content that posts and comments address, this study aims to analyze the content from two viewpoints. The first one compares expert-led and peer-led communities, focusing on differences in misinformation. The second one unravels the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not by merely investigating differences in topics but also by investigating the needs expressed by community members. Methods A codebook for the content analysis of Facebook communities has been developed, and a content analysis will be conducted on bundles of posts. Among 14 Facebook groups that were interested in participating in this study, two groups were selected for analysis: one was being moderated by a health professional (n=12,058 members) and one was led by peers (n=5598 members). Utterances from 3 consecutive calendar years will be studied by comparing the months from before the pandemic, the months during the height of the pandemic, and the months during the postpandemic phase (2019-2021). This method permits the identification of different types of misinformation and the context in which they emerge. Ethical approval was obtained by the Università della Svizzera italiana ethics committee. Results The usability of the codebook was demonstrated with a pretest. Subsequently, 144 threads (1534 utterances) were coded by the two coders. Intercoder reliability was calculated on 293 units (19.10% of the total sample; Krippendorff α=.94, range .72-1). Aside from a few analyses comparing bundles, individual utterances will constitute the unit of analysis in most cases. Conclusions This content analysis will identify deleterious content found in online mental health support groups, the potential role of moderators in uncovering misleading information, and the impact of COVID-19 on the content. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/35347
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Bizzotto
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Susanna Morlino
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Peter Johannes Schulz
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.,Department of Communication and Media, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
A content analysis of YouTube depression personal account videos and their comments. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chbr.2020.100050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
10
|
Dual effects of social support seeking in patient-centric online healthcare communities: A longitudinal study. INFORMATION & MANAGEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.im.2020.103270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
|
11
|
Greville-Harris M, Smithson J, Karl A. What are people's experiences of orthorexia nervosa? A qualitative study of online blogs. Eat Weight Disord 2020; 25:1693-1702. [PMID: 31721111 PMCID: PMC7581603 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-019-00809-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a proposed new eating disorder, used to describe a pathological obsession with healthy or 'clean' eating. Although some quantitative research has been carried out in ON, very little qualitative work has been published to date to explore individual experiences of ON. Thus, this study aimed to explore individuals' personal experiences of ON, as described in online blogs. METHODS Fifteen women bloggers, who self-identified as having ON, consented for their blog entries to be analysed in this study. Forty pre-existing blog entries describing the first-person experiences of ON were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Three key themes were discussed: (1) initial motivations for a healthier lifestyle, (2) fuelling the problem-social influences, and: (3) when healthy becomes unhealthy. Bloggers described the role of social messages, comparison with others around ideas of 'healthiness', as well as confusion around diagnosis as factors influencing their disordered eating. They also described the exacerbating impact of perfectionism and perceived control, as well as a confirmatory cycle of fear and avoidance. For some bloggers, increased physical symptoms in response to feared foods provided confirmation for these fears, further exacerbating food avoidance. CONCLUSION Whilst the debate around the diagnosis of ON continues, these bloggers' accounts suggest that ON is experienced as a legitimate, debilitating disorder, worthy of clinical and research investigation. This study provides evidence of some of the potential triggers and maintaining factors for this disordered eating style. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, qualitative descriptive study.
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim J, Lee J, Park E, Han J. A deep learning model for detecting mental illness from user content on social media. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11846. [PMID: 32678250 PMCID: PMC7367301 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68764-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Users of social media often share their feelings or emotional states through their posts. In this study, we developed a deep learning model to identify a user’s mental state based on his/her posting information. To this end, we collected posts from mental health communities in Reddit. By analyzing and learning posting information written by users, our proposed model could accurately identify whether a user’s post belongs to a specific mental disorder, including depression, anxiety, bipolar, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and autism. We believe our model can help identify potential sufferers with mental illness based on their posts. This study further discusses the implication of our proposed model, which can serve as a supplementary tool for monitoring mental health states of individuals who frequently use social media.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jina Kim
- Department of Interaction Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 03063, Republic of Korea.,School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jieon Lee
- Department of Interaction Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 03063, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunil Park
- Department of Interaction Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 03063, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 03063, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jinyoung Han
- Department of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 03063, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Van Beveren L, Rutten K, Hensing G, Spyridoula N, Schønning V, Axelsson M, Bockting C, Buysse A, De Neve I, Desmet M, Dewaele A, Giovazolias T, Hannon D, Kafetsios K, Meganck R, Øverland S, Triliva S, Vandamme J. A Critical Perspective on Mental Health News in Six European Countries: How Are "Mental Health/Illness" and "Mental Health Literacy" Rhetorically Constructed? QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2020; 30:1362-1378. [PMID: 32249686 PMCID: PMC7307005 DOI: 10.1177/1049732320912409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we aim to contribute to the field of critical health communication research by examining how notions of mental health and illness are discursively constructed in newspapers and magazines in six European countries and how these constructions relate to specific understandings of mental health literacy. Using the method of cluster-agon analysis, we identified four terminological clusters in our data, in which mental health/illness is conceptualized as "dangerous," "a matter of lifestyle," "a unique story and experience," and "socially situated." We furthermore found that we cannot unambiguously assume that biopsychiatric discourses or discourses aimed at empathy and understanding are either exclusively stigmatizing or exclusively empowering and normalizing. We consequently call for a critical conception of mental health literacy arguing that all mental health news socializes its audience in specific understandings of and attitudes toward mental health (knowledge) and that discourses on mental health/illness can work differently in varying contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Viktor Schønning
- University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg,
Sweden
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health,
Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Simon Øverland
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health,
Bergen, Norway
- University of Bergen, Bergen,
Norway
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Linden B, Tam-Seto L, Stuart H. Adherence of the #Here4U App - Military Version to Criteria for the Development of Rigorous Mental Health Apps. JMIR Form Res 2020; 4:e18890. [PMID: 32554374 PMCID: PMC7330732 DOI: 10.2196/18890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Over the past several years, the emergence of mobile mental health apps has increased as a potential solution for populations who may face logistical and social barriers to traditional service delivery, including individuals connected to the military. Objective The goal of the #Here4U App – Military Version is to provide evidence-informed mental health support to members of Canada’s military community, leveraging artificial intelligence in the form of IBM Canada’s Watson Assistant to carry on unique text-based conversations with users, identify presenting mental health concerns, and refer users to self-help resources or recommend professional health care where appropriate. Methods As the availability and use of mental health apps has increased, so too has the list of recommendations and guidelines for efficacious development. We describe the development and testing conducted between 2018 and 2020 and assess the quality of the #Here4U App against 16 criteria for rigorous mental health app development, as identified by Bakker and colleagues in 2016. Results The #Here4U App – Military Version met the majority of Bakker and colleagues’ criteria, with those unmet considered not applicable to this particular product or out of scope for research conducted to date. Notably, a formal evaluation of the efficacy of the app is a major priority moving forward. Conclusions The #Here4U App – Military Version is a promising new mental health e-solution for members of the Canadian Armed Forces community, filling many of the gaps left by traditional service delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Linden
- Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Linna Tam-Seto
- Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Heather Stuart
- Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hale BJ. Responding to depression-related Imgur posts: A content analysis of social support and non-bona fide features in user-generated comments. Digit Health 2019; 5:2055207619890476. [PMID: 31798938 PMCID: PMC6873274 DOI: 10.1177/2055207619890476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives A growing body of health communication scholarship has explored the utility
of social media platforms for eliciting social support, although much of
this scholarship has focused on Facebook and
Twitter. This study contributes to this body of
research by identifying support in comments submitted to depression-related
Imgur posts. Furthermore, the use of non-bona fide
linguistic features (e.g. humor, sarcasm, and irony) is documented for
comparison with supportive elements. Methods A content analysis was performed of 1530 comments submitted in response to 20
popular Imgur posts about depression, including the
emergence of four social support types outlined by the Multi-Dimensional
Support Scale—reassuring, empathic, informational, and tangible support—as
well as non-bona fide features. Results Findings suggest a supportive discourse, with nearly 60% of comments
containing some supportive element. Reassuring and informational support
emerged most prominently (26.3% and 26.2% of comments, respectively),
followed by empathic (22.9%) and tangible (0.3%) support types. Non-bona
fide features manifested in 28.8% of comments. Results indicate significant
covariation between non-bona fide features and support, as these
infrequently co-occurred. Conclusions This study’s findings suggest that depression-related messages frequently
receive support from Imgur commenters, especially
reassuring and informational support. Additionally, this study provides a
conceptual framework for future analyses of online social support by
integrating non-bona fide communication with established support types. The
results of this study could have implications for health professionals and
scholars interested in the use of social media platforms such as
Imgur, which serves a predominantly young male
demographic, for support provision.
Collapse
|
16
|
Roy M, Rivest MP, Namian D, Moreau N. The critical reception of the DSM-5: Towards a typology of audiences. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2019; 28:932-948. [PMID: 31434548 DOI: 10.1177/0963662519868969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Since its initial publication, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has been the object of criticism which has led to regular revisions by the American Psychiatric Association. This article analyses the debates that surrounded the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Building on the concepts of public arenas and reception theory, it explores the meaning encoded in the manual by audiences. Our results, which draw from a thematic analysis of traditional and digital media sources, identify eight audiences that react to the American Psychiatric Association's narrative of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.): conformist, reformist, humanist, culturalist, naturalist, conflictual, constructivist and utilitarian. While some of their claims present argumentative polarities, others overlap, thus challenging the idea, often presented in academic publications, of a fixed debate. In order to further discuss on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, we draw attention to claims that 'travel' across different communities of audiences.
Collapse
|
17
|
Williams SAP, Dhillon S. Women's obstetric and reproductive health care discourse in online forums: Perceived access and quality pre- and post-Affordable Care Act. Prev Med 2019; 124:50-54. [PMID: 31028754 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This corpus-based study examines women's framing of health issues in online forums (MedHelp.org, AphroditeWomensHealth.com, and Connect.MayoClinic.org) prior to, during, and after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since worldviews affect how women describe health issues, their discourse is both a way to see ideology indexed in the forums, as well as how that discourse has been shaped by policy. Posts were collected December 2016-April 2017 and annotated using the UAM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) Corpus Tool to examine emergent categories and compare them to three time periods: pre-, during, and post-ACA. Data within posts were coded as to the linguistic moves being made. Three frequent categories of linguistic function in the data were identified: experience-sharing, advice-requesting and offering, and rationale-offering (N = 1268). These linguistic moves were sub-divided into further categories (e.g., under advice requesting, a request for diagnosis), and a discourse-analytical perspective provides insight into the values indexed in each. Before ACA, forum participants cited access, fear, and a history of unhelpful medical visits as obstacles to seeking care. After implementation, obstacles cited were prior unhelpful visits, followed by access, and uncertainty regarding care-seeking appropriateness. While ACA implementation reduced lack of insurance as an obstacle to obtaining healthcare, online forums indicate that patients continue to find doctors' visits unhelpful, instead choosing to seek medical advice from the lay public. Patients' distrust of the medical profession persisted following ACA implementation. There is a need for public health initiatives to improve this relationship in order to augment health care outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena A P Williams
- University of California, Davis, Department of Linguistics, Kerr Hall 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Soneet Dhillon
- Drexel University, College of Medicine, 1 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Semantic network analysis for understanding user experiences of bipolar and depressive disorders on Reddit. Inf Process Manag 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ipm.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
19
|
Versteeg W, Te Molder H. Making expertise fit: On the use of certified versus experiential knowledge in becoming an informed patient. J Health Psychol 2019; 26:843-859. [PMID: 31081368 PMCID: PMC8083077 DOI: 10.1177/1359105319847255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reports a discursive psychological study of online conversations among patients with ADHD, diabetes, or ALS on what constitutes an “informed patient.” Being informed means different things for different patient groups. Whether patients prioritize experiential or certified expert knowledge is not indicative of patients’ preferences per se but depends on how they give meaning to the responsibilities particular to their disease. ADHD patients hold each other accountable for demonstrating the seriousness of their disease. ALS patients use expert information to orient to a norm of thinking positive. Diabetes patients challenge experts to carve out independence from the diabetes regimen.
Collapse
|
20
|
Ferrell EL, Russin SE, Hardy RM. Informal caregiving experiences in posttraumatic stress disorder: A content analysis of an online community. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 47:757-771. [PMID: 30592051 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study explored the experiences of individuals who self-identify as providing support to a friend, family member, or significant other with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We analyzed and coded a total of 345 posts from an online support forum, with reference to 13 categories (finances, life interference, venting/emotional expression, maltreatment, sexual behavior, distress, prevented expression, physical health, communication, no personal space, isolation, and compassion fatigue). Categories for coding were established a priori and based on previous literature about caregiving and supporting. Results suggested that informal PTSD caregivers experience concerns involving interpersonal relations, emotional turmoil, and barriers to care for themselves and the individual they are caring for. This study provides a preliminary examination of the experiences and concerns of PTSD caregivers. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Collapse
|
21
|
Versteeg W, Te Molder H. 'You must know what you mean when you say that': the morality of knowledge claims about ADHD in radio phone-ins. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2018; 40:718-734. [PMID: 29582444 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Drawing on a corpus of radio phone-ins, we present a discursive psychological analysis of how mothers carefully tailor their knowledge claims regarding their children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Mothers typically claim knowledge about their children's good intentions, but not about the 'ADHD-ness' of their conduct. Whereas the former is seen as appropriate knowledge for a concerned parent, the latter is treated as a matter of expert knowledge. We show that as soon as problematic behaviour is treated as observable from the outside and describable by mothers and other lay persons, it becomes vulnerable to being formulated as 'normal disobedience', rather than symptomatic of a professionally administered, doctorable condition. We argue that it is important to be aware of the moralities hidden in knowledge claims, as they help sustain an unproductive perspective in which either the child's brain or his mother is blamed for behaviour perceived as problematic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wytske Versteeg
- Department of Geosciences/Urban Futures Studio, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hedwig Te Molder
- Department of Social Sciences/Strategic Communication, University of Wageningen, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Baldwin S, Yuan H, Liao J, Grieve B, Heard J, Wibbenmeyer LA. Burn Survivor Quality of Life and Barriers to Support Program Participation. J Burn Care Res 2018; 39:823-830. [DOI: 10.1093/jbcr/irx058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Haimao Yuan
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City
| | - Junlin Liao
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City
| | - Brian Grieve
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City
| | - Jason Heard
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City
| | - Lucy A Wibbenmeyer
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lazar MA, Pan Z, Ragguett RM, Lee Y, Subramaniapillai M, Mansur RB, Rodrigues N, McIntyre RS. Digital revolution in depression: A technologies update for clinicians. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pmip.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
|
24
|
Laukka E, Rantakokko P, Suhonen M. Consumer-led health-related online sources and their impact on consumers: An integrative review of the literature. Health Informatics J 2017; 25:247-266. [PMID: 28464727 DOI: 10.1177/1460458217704254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the review was to describe consumer-led health-related online sources and their impact on consumers. The review was carried out as an integrative literature review. Quantisation and qualitative content analysis were used as the analysis method. The most common method used by the included studies was qualitative content analysis. This review identified the consumer-led health-related online sources used between 2009 and 2016 as health-related online communities, health-related social networking sites and health-related rating websites. These sources had an impact on peer support; empowerment; health literacy; physical, mental and emotional wellbeing; illness management; and relationships between healthcare organisations and consumers. The knowledge of the existence of the health-related online sources provides healthcare organisations with an opportunity to listen to their consumers' 'voice'. The sources make healthcare consumers more competent actors in relation to healthcare, and the knowledge of them is a valuable resource for healthcare organisations. Additionally, these health-related online sources might create an opportunity to reduce the need for drifting among the healthcare services. Healthcare policymakers and organisations could benefit from having a strategy of increasing their health-related online sources.
Collapse
|
25
|
Versteeg W, Te Molder H, Sneijder P. "Listen to your body": Participants' alternative to science in online health discussions. Health (London) 2017; 22:432-450. [PMID: 28401812 PMCID: PMC6066859 DOI: 10.1177/1363459317695632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We present a discursive psychological analysis of how the idiomatic expression
“Listen to Your Body” is deployed in online forum discussions about ADHD
medication and aspartame. The Listen to Your Body device allows participants to
demonstrate to others that they take their health seriously and for that
reason avoid scientific knowledge. They contrast Listen to Your
Body with “blindly following science,” presenting Listen to Your Body as the
more critical and, therefore, more rational behavior. Instead of treating the
idiomatic expression as “anyone’s knowledge,” speakers and recipients compete
for the right to own it. It is discussed what these results mean for the role of
and relation between experiential knowledge (“lay expertise”) and scientific
expertise in online discussions about health issues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hedwig Te Molder
- University of Twente, The Netherlands; Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
| | - Petra Sneijder
- HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bauer M, Glenn T, Monteith S, Bauer R, Whybrow PC, Geddes J. Ethical perspectives on recommending digital technology for patients with mental illness. Int J Bipolar Disord 2017; 5:6. [PMID: 28155206 PMCID: PMC5293713 DOI: 10.1186/s40345-017-0073-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The digital revolution in medicine not only offers exciting new directions for the treatment of mental illness, but also presents challenges to patient privacy and security. Changes in medicine are part of the complex digital economy based on creating value from analysis of behavioral data acquired by the tracking of daily digital activities. Without an understanding of the digital economy, recommending the use of technology to patients with mental illness can inadvertently lead to harm. Behavioral data are sold in the secondary data market, combined with other data from many sources, and used in algorithms that automatically classify people. These classifications are used in commerce and government, may be discriminatory, and result in non-medical harm to patients with mental illness. There is also potential for medical harm related to poor quality online information, self-diagnosis and self-treatment, passive monitoring, and the use of unvalidated smartphone apps. The goal of this paper is to increase awareness and foster discussion of the new ethical issues. To maximize the potential of technology to help patients with mental illness, physicians need education about the digital economy, and patients need help understanding the appropriate use and limitations of online websites and smartphone apps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Tasha Glenn
- ChronoRecord Association, Inc., Fullerton, CA, 92834, USA
| | - Scott Monteith
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Traverse City Campus, 1400 Medical Campus Drive, Traverse City, MI, 49684, USA
| | - Rita Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter C Whybrow
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - John Geddes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Teng E, Crabb S, Winefield H, Venning A. Crying wolf? Australian adolescents’ perceptions of the ambiguity of visible indicators of mental health and authenticity of mental illness. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/14780887.2017.1282566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emmelin Teng
- The University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Shona Crabb
- The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, School of Population Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Helen Winefield
- The University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Anthony Venning
- Flinders University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Bedford Park, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lewis LF. Exploring the Experience of Self-Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 2016; 30:575-80. [PMID: 27654240 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2016.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
One in 68 Americans has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and diagnosis is often delayed into adulthood in individuals without comorbid intellectual disability. Many undiagnosed adults resort to self-diagnosis. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenology was to explore the experience of realizing a self-diagnosis of ASD among 37 individuals who were not formally diagnosed. Results revealed five themes: feeling "othered," managing self doubt, sense of belonging, understanding myself, and questioning the need for formal diagnosis. Healthcare professionals must have an understanding of self-diagnosis to help individuals transition to formal diagnosis and to adequately educate, support, and screen this population for comorbidities.
Collapse
|
29
|
Wiggins S, McQuade R, Rasmussen S. Stepping Back From Crisis Points: The Provision and Acknowledgment of Support in an Online Suicide Discussion Forum. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2016; 26:1240-1251. [PMID: 26935723 DOI: 10.1177/1049732316633130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Suicide is a global health concern, though little is known about the social practices that might support those who are contemplating suicide. Online forums provide a unique insight into the anonymous discussion of suicide, including sociocultural norms about suicide and the delicate management of online interaction. In this article, we examine the provision and acknowledgment of support in an online discussion forum about suicide, using discursive psychology to analyze the textual interaction. The analysis illustrates how forum threads function as case studies and enable members to gain support on numerous occasions. In this way, members can gain help at crisis points as and when these occur, while still maintaining authenticity as a valid forum member. The analysis also provides additional evidence for models of suicide which highlight the fluid nature of suicidality and contributes to the preventative work on suicide by demonstrating how support can be provided at crisis points.
Collapse
|
30
|
Brady E, Segar J, Sanders C. "You get to know the people and whether they're talking sense or not": Negotiating trust on health-related forums. Soc Sci Med 2016; 162:151-7. [PMID: 27359321 PMCID: PMC4962769 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The internet is increasingly being used as a source of health advice and information by individuals with long term conditions (LTCs). Specifically, online forums allow people to interact with others with similar conditions. However, it is not clear how online health information is assessed by those with LTCs. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how individuals with contested and uncontested LTCs utilise internet forums. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants with ME/CFS and 21 participants with type 1 and 2 diabetes and analysed using thematic analysis. Participants were recruited via online and offline routes, namely forums, email lists, newsletters, and face-to-face support groups. The findings indicate that the use of online forums was a complex and nuanced process and was influenced by a number of individual and illness-specific factors. Participants trusted those with similar experiences and perspectives as themselves, while also valuing conventional biomedical information and advice. By accessing support online, forum users were able to draw on a personalised form of support based on the lived experiences of their peers. However, the role of digital literacy in developing and maintaining online relationships must be acknowledged. The use of online forums by individuals with LTCs is a complex and nuanced process. Participants trust those with similar experiences and perspectives as themselves. Users can access a personalised form of support based on the experiences of peers. Role of digital literacy in developing online relationships must be acknowledged.
Collapse
|
31
|
Strong T, Ross KH, Sesma-Vazquez M. Counselling the (self?) diagnosed client: generative and reflective conversations. BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2014.996736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
32
|
Strong T. Diagnoses, Relational Processes and Resourceful Dialogs: Tensions for Families and Family Therapy. FAMILY PROCESS 2015; 54:518-532. [PMID: 25683581 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), given its psychiatric focus on mental disorders in individuals, presents families and family therapists with challenges. Despite considerable controversies over its adoption, the DSM-5 extends a process of standardizing a language for human and relational concerns. No longer a diagnostic language of professionals alone, its use is medicalizing how mental health funders and administrators, as well as clients, respond to human concerns. For family therapists who practice systemically, particularly from poststructuralist and strengths-based orientations, many tensions can follow when use of the DSM-5 is expected by mental health administrators and funders, or by clients who present concerns about themselves or a diagnosed family member. In this paper, I explore how such DSM-5 related tensions might be recognized, navigated, and negotiated in the practice of family therapy with clients, and with administrators and funders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Strong
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Clarke T, Tickle A, Gillott A. Substance use disorder in Asperger syndrome: An investigation into the development and maintenance of substance use disorder by individuals with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 27:154-63. [PMID: 26187185 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Revised: 06/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research has suggested that the prevalence of problematic substance use within the Asperger syndrome population has previously been underestimated. Furthermore, there is some indication that problematic substance use might take place to manage the traits of Asperger syndrome; however this possibility has yet to be examined in detail. This study aimed to address this omission by exploring individuals' perceptions of their substance use in relation to their diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. METHODS Eight participants were recruited from either a specialist Asperger syndrome service or a drug and alcohol service. Participants were interviewed regarding their views of which factors led to their development and maintenance of problematic substance use, specifically in relation to their experience of having been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Thematic analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts. RESULTS Six main themes were identified: self-medication; social facilitation; discrepancy between need and support; defining problematic substance use; substance use of peers, and recreational use of substances. The two themes of social facilitation and self-medication are focused on within this paper as they most closely reflect the more prominent bodies of literature in relation to the research aim. CONCLUSIONS Participants reported that substances were used to act as a social facilitator to compensate for social deficits by increasing confidence in social settings and increasing participants' ease with which they communicate. The self-medication of psychological distress was reported and was associated with depression, anxiety and sleep difficulties. The study ends with a reflection on the method of data collection, the implications for clinical practice and suggestions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Clarke
- Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, YANG Fujia Building, The University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG8 1BB, United Kingdom.
| | - Anna Tickle
- Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, YANG Fujia Building, The University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG8 1BB, United Kingdom
| | - Alinda Gillott
- Nottingham City Asperger Service, Department of Learning Disabilities, Highbury Hospital, Highbury Road, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 9DR, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Paulus TM, Varga MA. "Please Know That You Are Not Alone with Your Pain": Responses to Newcomer Posts in an Online Grief Support Forum. DEATH STUDIES 2015; 39:633-640. [PMID: 26024251 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2015.1047060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In an effort to better understand how the Internet can provide support to bereaved individuals, this discourse analysis study examined the responses to 107 initial posts in an online grief support group to understand how newcomers' bids for group membership were taken up by current members. Discursive features included validation and empathy through second stories, constructing grief through descriptions, and accepting bids for membership through advice giving and invitations to return to the group. These features illustrate how grief and being a griever are constructed in an online context and how they deviate from the "normal" grief expectations in the offline world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trena M Paulus
- a Qualitative Research Program, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration & Policy , University of Georgia , Athens , Georgia , USA
| | - Mary Alice Varga
- b Department of Educational Technology & Foundations , University of West Georgia , Carrollton , Georgia , USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Jones RB, Ashurst EJ. Online anonymous discussion between service users and health professionals to ascertain stakeholder concerns in using e-health services in mental health. Health Informatics J 2014; 19:281-99. [PMID: 24255052 DOI: 10.1177/1460458212474908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Implementation of e-health in mental health services requires that we are aware of stakeholders' concerns. We ascertained the views of mental health professionals and mental health service users through the (1) development of 12 topics based on the research literature, (2) presentation to 31 participants (19 mental health professionals and 12 mental health service users) and discussion in three 1-week programmes, (3) thematic analysis of transcripts, and (4) comparison with the literature to identify areas requiring attention in e-health implementation. This method of engaging mental health service users and mental health professionals was effective. We identified areas that (1) should be the first to implement (e.g. discussion forums, email, and Skype), (2) where further education and engagement are necessary before e-health methods could be used (e.g. unsupported computerised cognitive behavioural therapy, computer-patient interviewing, and patient access to online medical records), and (3) for further research (e.g. the impact of bad online experiences).
Collapse
|
36
|
Newman-Toker DE. A unified conceptual model for diagnostic errors: underdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, and misdiagnosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 1:43-48. [PMID: 28367397 DOI: 10.1515/dx-2013-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Progress in diagnostic error research has been hampered by a lack of unified terminology and definitions. This article proposes a novel framework for considering diagnostic errors, offering a unified conceptual model for underdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, and misdiagnosis. The model clarifies the critical separation between 'diagnostic process failures' (incorrect workups) and 'diagnosis label failures' (incorrect diagnoses). By dividing processes into those that are substandard, suboptimal, or optimal, important distinctions are drawn between 'preventable', 'reducible,' and 'unavoidable' diagnostic errors. The new model emphasizes the importance of mitigating diagnosis-related harms, regardless of whether the solutions require traditional safety strategies (preventable errors), more effective evidence dissemination (reducible errors; harms from overtesting and overdiagnosis), or new scientific discovery (currently unavoidable errors). Doing so maximizes our ability to prioritize solving various diagnosis-related problems from a societal value perspective. This model should serve as a foundation for developing consensus terminology and operationalized definitions for relevant diagnostic-error categories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David E Newman-Toker
- 1Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Meyer Building 8-154 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Giles DC. ‘DSM-V is taking away our identity’: The reaction of the online community to the proposed changes in the diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder. Health (London) 2013; 18:179-95. [DOI: 10.1177/1363459313488006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
This article considers the fate of Asperger’s disorder in the light of proposals for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) to collapse Asperger’s disorder along with other pervasive developmental disorders into a general spectrum of autism. It is argued that a powerful lay and scientific culture has evolved around the concept of Asperger’s disorder, which has found a particularly compelling voice over the last decade in the online Asperger community, with websites such as Wrong Planet recruiting tens of thousands of members. In order to assess the impact of these proposed changes on the online Asperger community, 19 threads on the topic of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) are analysed according to the arguments that community members put forward in favour of, or in opposition to, the proposals. Many members embrace the notion of the spectrum and have already coined a new identity – ‘spectrumite’ – to adapt to the diagnostic shift. Others, however, are suspicious of the motives behind the absorption of Asperger’s disorder, and potential threats to the provision of services as well as the strong ‘aspie’ identity that reflects the large literature and the online public sphere around Asperger’s disorder. To what extent this culture poses a challenge to the authority of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is uncertain at present.
Collapse
|
38
|
Haberer JE, Trabin T, Klinkman M. Furthering the reliable and valid measurement of mental health screening, diagnoses, treatment and outcomes through health information technology. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2013; 35:349-53. [PMID: 23628162 PMCID: PMC3692579 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Measurement of mental health is challenging; however, many solutions may be found through the use of health information technology. METHOD This article reviews current approaches to measuring mental health, focusing on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. It then identifies several key areas in which health information technology may advance the field and provide reliable and valid measurements that are readily available to and manageable for providers, as well as acceptable, feasible, and sustainable for selected populations. RESULT AND CONCLUSIONS Although new technologies must overcome many challenges, including privacy, efficiency, cost, and scalability, it is an exciting and fast-growing field with many potential applications and clinical benefit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Haberer
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
|
40
|
Fullagar S, O'Brien W. Immobility, battles, and the journey of feeling alive: women's metaphors of self-transformation through depression and recovery. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2012; 22:1063-1072. [PMID: 22609634 DOI: 10.1177/1049732312443738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Australian mental health services have responded to the problem of depression by adopting an early intervention and recovery orientation. Using qualitative research conducted in Australia with 80 women aged 20 to 75 years, we examine how participants invoked particular metaphors to construct meaning about the gendered experience of depression and recovery. We argue that women's stories of recovery provide a rich source of interpretive material to consider the everyday metaphors of recovery beyond clinical notions and linear models of personal change. We identified key metaphors women drew on to articulate the struggle of self-transformation through depression and recovery: the immobilizing effect of depression, recovery as a battle to control depression, and recovery as a journey of self-knowledge. Our findings might be useful for mental health professionals in a range of clinical contexts to reflect on the power of language for shaping how women interpret their experiences of recovery from depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Fullagar
- Centre for Cultural Research and Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Smithson J, Jones RB, Ashurst E. Developing an online learning community for mental health professionals and service users: a discursive analysis. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2012. [PMID: 22436597 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in online collaborative learning tools in health education, to reduce costs, and to offer alternative communication opportunities. Patients and students often have extensive experience of using the Internet for health information and support, and many health organisations are increasingly trying out online tools, while many healthcare professionals are unused to, and have reservations about, online interaction. METHODS We ran three week-long collaborative learning courses, in which 19 mental health professionals (MHPs) and 12 mental health service users (MHSUs) participated. Data were analysed using a discursive approach to consider the ways in which participants interacted, and how this contributed to the goal of online learning about using Internet technologies for mental health practice. RESULTS MHSUs and MHPs were able to discuss issues together, listening to the views of the other stakeholders. Discussions on synchronous format encouraged participation by service users while the MHPs showed a preference for an asynchronous format with longer, reasoned postings. Although participants regularly drew on their MHP or MHSU status in discussions, and participants typically drew on either a medical expert discourse or a "lived experience" discourse, there was a blurred boundary as participants shifted between these positions. CONCLUSIONS The anonymous format was successful in that it produced a "co-constructed asymmetry" which permitted the MHPs and MHSUs to discuss issues online, listening to the views of other stakeholders. Although anonymity was essential for this course to 'work' at all, the recourse to expert or lay discourses demonstrates that it did not eliminate the hierarchies between teacher and learner, or MHP and MHSU. The mix of synchronous and asynchronous formats helped MHSUs to contribute. Moderators might best facilitate service user experience by responding within an experiential discourse rather than an academic one.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Smithson
- School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Smithson J, Jones RB, Ashurst E. Developing an online learning community for mental health professionals and service users: a discursive analysis. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2012; 12:12. [PMID: 22436597 PMCID: PMC3328264 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-12-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in online collaborative learning tools in health education, to reduce costs, and to offer alternative communication opportunities. Patients and students often have extensive experience of using the Internet for health information and support, and many health organisations are increasingly trying out online tools, while many healthcare professionals are unused to, and have reservations about, online interaction. METHODS We ran three week-long collaborative learning courses, in which 19 mental health professionals (MHPs) and 12 mental health service users (MHSUs) participated. Data were analysed using a discursive approach to consider the ways in which participants interacted, and how this contributed to the goal of online learning about using Internet technologies for mental health practice. RESULTS MHSUs and MHPs were able to discuss issues together, listening to the views of the other stakeholders. Discussions on synchronous format encouraged participation by service users while the MHPs showed a preference for an asynchronous format with longer, reasoned postings. Although participants regularly drew on their MHP or MHSU status in discussions, and participants typically drew on either a medical expert discourse or a "lived experience" discourse, there was a blurred boundary as participants shifted between these positions. CONCLUSIONS The anonymous format was successful in that it produced a "co-constructed asymmetry" which permitted the MHPs and MHSUs to discuss issues online, listening to the views of other stakeholders. Although anonymity was essential for this course to 'work' at all, the recourse to expert or lay discourses demonstrates that it did not eliminate the hierarchies between teacher and learner, or MHP and MHSU. The mix of synchronous and asynchronous formats helped MHSUs to contribute. Moderators might best facilitate service user experience by responding within an experiential discourse rather than an academic one.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Smithson
- School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
O'Brien MR, Clark D. Unsolicited written narratives as a methodological genre in terminal illness: challenges and limitations. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2012; 22:274-284. [PMID: 21876209 DOI: 10.1177/1049732311420737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Stories about illness have proven invaluable in helping health professionals understand illness experiences. Such narratives have traditionally been solicited by researchers through interviews and the collection of personal writings, including diaries. These approaches are, however, researcher driven; the impetus for the creation of the story comes from the researcher and not the narrator. In recent years there has been exponential growth in illness narratives created by individuals, of their own volition, and made available for others to read in print or as Internet accounts. We sought to determine whether it was possible to identify such material for use as research data to explore the subject of living with the terminal illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease--the contention being that these accounts are narrator driven and therefore focus on issues of greatest importance to the affected person. We encountered and sought to overcome a number of methodological and ethical challenges, which is our focus here.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary R O'Brien
- Evidence-based Practice Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, United Kingdom.
| | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Smithson J, Sharkey S, Hewis E, Jones RB, Emmens T, Ford T, Owens C. Membership and boundary maintenance on an online self-harm forum. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2011; 21:1567-75. [PMID: 21715606 DOI: 10.1177/1049732311413784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In this article we explore how young adults became members and sustained membership in an online self-harm support forum, SharpTalk. We take a discursive approach to consider resources young people used to establish themselves, how others responded to their attempts, and how membership categories were developed and applied. Participants displayed expectations about appropriate ways of discussing self-harm, and about responses and advice. New posters made reference to other self-harm sites, provided biomedicalized narratives of their "story," and asked for help in particular ways. Participants were active in shaping interactions on the forum, requesting input from site moderators, and challenging each other both on perceived infringements of posting content, and on style of posting pertinent to membership. On the SharpTalk site, perceived deviance in posting behavior, and also the giving of health care advice, were most commonly addressed by other young people who self-harmed, rather than by the site moderators. We consider implications for creating sites that enable young people who self-harm to become members and sustain membership, and therefore access support.
Collapse
|