Semantic network analysis of vaccine sentiment in online social media.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine current vaccine sentiment on social media by constructing and analyzing semantic networks of vaccine information from highly shared websites of Twitter users in the United States; and to assist public health communication of vaccines.

Background

Vaccine hesitancy continues to contribute to suboptimal vaccination coverage in the United States, posing significant risk of disease outbreaks, yet remains poorly understood.

Methods

We constructed semantic networks of vaccine information from internet articles shared by Twitter users in the United States. We analyzed resulting network topology, compared semantic differences, and identified the most salient concepts within networks expressing positive, negative, and neutral vaccine sentiment.

Results</

SUBMITTER: Kang GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5548132 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature