โก Quick Summary
This study investigates the attitudes of healthcare and non-healthcare professionals towards anorexic behavior on Chinese social media, revealing that negative emotions are predominant in both groups. The findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals to better recognize these emotions to enhance patient care and intervention strategies.
๐ Key Details
- ๐ Dataset: 1,099 comments, 277,793 words from Zhihu, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu
- ๐งฉ Emotions analyzed: Seven for non-healthcare professionals, three for healthcare professionals
- โ๏ธ Methodology: Qualitative analysis using machine learning and K-means algorithm
- ๐ Data collection period: Up to September 1, 2024
๐ Key Takeaways
- ๐ฌ Social media serves as a valuable platform for understanding anorexic behaviors.
- ๐ Negative emotions were predominant among both healthcare and non-healthcare professionals.
- ๐ฉโโ๏ธ Healthcare professionals showed a deficit in recognizing negative emotions.
- ๐ Data-driven interventions are essential for addressing psychological barriers in anorexia.
- ๐ Holistic patient care can be improved through better emotional recognition.
- ๐ Qualitative analysis provides deeper insights into hidden emotions related to anorexia.
- ๐ Emotional spectrum for non-healthcare professionals included good, happy, surprise, anger, disgust, fear, and sad.
- ๐ง Importance of attitudes in alleviating anorexic behavior is emphasized.
๐ Background
The role of attitudes in addressing anorexic behavior has gained significant attention in recent years. Traditional methods of assessment often overlook the nuanced emotions of patients due to stigma and fear of judgment. Social media platforms provide a unique opportunity to anonymously explore these behaviors and emotions, potentially leading to more effective intervention strategies.
๐๏ธ Study
This qualitative study aimed to explore the attitudes of both healthcare and non-healthcare professionals towards anorexic behavior as expressed on popular Chinese social media platforms. By employing a machine learning approach, the researchers analyzed a substantial dataset of comments to uncover the emotional landscape surrounding anorexia.
๐ Results
The analysis revealed that non-healthcare professionals expressed a wide range of emotions, with negative feelings being predominant. In contrast, healthcare professionals primarily exhibited positive and sad emotions, indicating a significant gap in their ability to recognize and respond to negative sentiments. This highlights a critical area for improvement in healthcare training and patient interaction.
๐ Impact and Implications
The findings of this study underscore the importance of enhancing the emotional intelligence of healthcare professionals. By improving their ability to recognize and address negative emotions, we can foster a more supportive environment for patients struggling with anorexia. This could lead to the development of data-driven interventions that not only address the symptoms of anorexia but also the underlying psychological barriers.
๐ฎ Conclusion
This study highlights the critical need for healthcare professionals to enhance their recognition of negative emotions expressed by patients on social media. By leveraging insights gained from qualitative analyses, we can develop more effective interventions that promote holistic patient care and improve outcomes for those affected by anorexia. The integration of social media insights into healthcare practices represents a promising frontier in mental health support.
๐ฌ Your comments
What are your thoughts on the role of social media in understanding anorexia? We invite you to share your insights and engage in a discussion! ๐ฌ Leave your comments below or connect with us on social media:
Non-healthcare and healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards behaviors of anorexia: A qualitative analysis of Chinese social media content.
Abstract
AIM: To explore the attitudes of healthcare professionals and non-healthcare professionals on anorexic behavior on social media.
BACKGROUND: The significant function of attitude in alleviating anorexic behavior has been widely recognized. However, traditional methods often fail to capture patients’ hidden emotions due to stigma and fear of judgment. Social media provides a novel platform for anonymously examining these behaviors and emotions, offering insights into anorexic behaviors that can enhance intervention strategies.
DESIGN: This study has a qualitative design based on machine learning.
METHODS: Data was collected from Zhihu, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu social media platforms up to 1 September 2024. This study method consisted of five steps: data collection, data cleaning, validation of relevance, sentiment analysis, and content analysis using the K-means algorithm.
RESULTS: This study comprised 1099 comments, comprising 277,793 words. Non-healthcare professionals had seven emotions (good, happy, surprise, anger, disgust, fear, and sad) for anorexic behavior, and negative emotions were predominant. Healthcare professionals had three emotions (happy, good, and sad), and negative emotions were predominant. Healthcare professionals have a role deficit in recognizing negative emotions.
CONCLUSION: The study emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to improve the recognition of negative emotions expressed by non-healthcare professionals/patients and develop data-driven interventions that address psychological barriers, fostering holistic patient care and improving outcomes.
Author: [‘Qian D’, ‘Yang L’, ‘Yang Y’, ‘Mo Y’, ‘Yang J’, ‘Yan L’, ‘Wang Z’, ‘Zhou Q’]
Journal: Digit Health
Citation: Qian D, et al. Non-healthcare and healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards behaviors of anorexia: A qualitative analysis of Chinese social media content. Non-healthcare and healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards behaviors of anorexia: A qualitative analysis of Chinese social media content. 2025; 11:20552076251410987. doi: 10.1177/20552076251410987