title: A content analysis of depression-related Tweets.
abstract: This study examines depression-related chatter on Twitter to glean insight into social networking about mental health. We assessed themes of a random sample (n=2,000) of depression-related tweets (sent 4-11 to 5-4-14). Tweets were coded for expression of DSM-5 symptoms for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Supportive or helpful tweets about depression was the most common theme (n=787, 40%), closely followed by disclosing feelings of depression (n=625; 32%). Two-thirds of tweets revealed one or more symptoms for the diagnosis of MDD and/or communicated thoughts or ideas that were consistent with struggles with depression after accounting for tweets that mentioned depression trivially. Health professionals can use our findings to tailor and target prevention and awareness messages to those Twitter users in need.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cavazos-Rehg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Shaina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sowles
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Meghana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bharadwaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bierut
keywords: Social media; depression