Differences in Fear and Negativity Levels Between Formal and Informal Health-Related Websites: Analysis of Sentiments and Emotions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Searching for web-based health-related information is frequently performed by the public and may affect public behavior regarding health decision-making. Particularly, it may result in anxiety, erroneous, and harmful self-diagnosis. Most searched health-related topics are cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases. A health-related web-based search may result in either formal or informal medical website, both of which may evoke feelings of fear and negativity.

Objective

Our study aimed to assess whether there is a difference in fear and negativity levels between information appearing on formal and informal health-related websites.

Methods

A web search was performed to retrieve the contents of websites containing symptoms of selected diseases,

SUBMITTER: Paradise Vit A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11344190 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature