Investigating mental health service user views of stigma on Twitter during COVID-19: a mixed-methods study

Georgie Hudson; Sonja M. Jansli; Esther Negbenose; Sinan Erturk; Til Wykes; Sagar Jilka

doi:10.1080/09638237.2022.2091763

Investigating mental health service user views of stigma on Twitter during COVID-19: a mixed-methods study

Georgie Hudson, Sonja M. Jansli, Esther Negbenose, Sinan Erturk, Til Wykes, Sagar Jilka^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Mental health stigma on social media is well studied, but not from the perspective of mental health service users. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) increased mental health discussions and may have impacted stigma. Objectives: (1) to understand how service users perceive and define mental health stigma on social media; (2) how COVID-19 shaped mental health conversations and social media use. Methods: We collected 2,700 tweets related to seven mental health conditions: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and addiction. Twenty-seven service users rated them as stigmatising or neutral, followed by focus group discussions. Focus group transcripts were thematically analysed. Results: Participants rated 1,101 tweets (40.8%) as stigmatising. Tweets related to schizophrenia were most frequently classed as stigmatising (411/534, 77%). Tweets related to depression or anxiety were least stigmatising (139/634, 21.9%). A stigmatising tweet depended on perceived intention and context but some words (e.g. “psycho”) felt stigmatising irrespective of context. Discussion: The anonymity of social media seemingly increased stigma, but COVID-19 lockdowns improved mental health literacy. This is the first study to qualitatively investigate service users' views of stigma towards various mental health conditions on Twitter and we show stigma is common, particularly towards schizophrenia. Service user involvement is vital when designing solutions to stigma.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	576-584
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Mental Health
Volume	31
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2022.2091763
Publication status	Published - 3 Jul 2022

Keywords

co-production
England
mental health
patient and public involvement
social media
stigma
Twitter

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/09638237.2022.2091763

Cite this

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title = "Investigating mental health service user views of stigma on Twitter during COVID-19: a mixed-methods study",

abstract = "Background: Mental health stigma on social media is well studied, but not from the perspective of mental health service users. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) increased mental health discussions and may have impacted stigma. Objectives: (1) to understand how service users perceive and define mental health stigma on social media; (2) how COVID-19 shaped mental health conversations and social media use. Methods: We collected 2,700 tweets related to seven mental health conditions: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and addiction. Twenty-seven service users rated them as stigmatising or neutral, followed by focus group discussions. Focus group transcripts were thematically analysed. Results: Participants rated 1,101 tweets (40.8%) as stigmatising. Tweets related to schizophrenia were most frequently classed as stigmatising (411/534, 77%). Tweets related to depression or anxiety were least stigmatising (139/634, 21.9%). A stigmatising tweet depended on perceived intention and context but some words (e.g. “psycho”) felt stigmatising irrespective of context. Discussion: The anonymity of social media seemingly increased stigma, but COVID-19 lockdowns improved mental health literacy. This is the first study to qualitatively investigate service users' views of stigma towards various mental health conditions on Twitter and we show stigma is common, particularly towards schizophrenia. Service user involvement is vital when designing solutions to stigma.",

keywords = "co-production, England, mental health, patient and public involvement, social media, stigma, Twitter",

author = "Georgie Hudson and Jansli, {Sonja M.} and Esther Negbenose and Sinan Erturk and Til Wykes and Sagar Jilka",

note = "Funding Information: This paper represents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London (IS-BRC-1215-20018). The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Patient and Carer Involvement and Engagement theme{\textquoteright}s research advisory groups. We would also like to acknowledge Janet van Bilsen, Mona Mettawa, Caecilia Pawitra and Rita Wieretilo for supporting this study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",

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doi = "10.1080/09638237.2022.2091763",

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AU - Jansli, Sonja M.

AU - Negbenose, Esther

AU - Erturk, Sinan

AU - Wykes, Til

AU - Jilka, Sagar

N1 - Funding Information: This paper represents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London (IS-BRC-1215-20018). The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Patient and Carer Involvement and Engagement theme’s research advisory groups. We would also like to acknowledge Janet van Bilsen, Mona Mettawa, Caecilia Pawitra and Rita Wieretilo for supporting this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2022/7/3

Y1 - 2022/7/3

N2 - Background: Mental health stigma on social media is well studied, but not from the perspective of mental health service users. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) increased mental health discussions and may have impacted stigma. Objectives: (1) to understand how service users perceive and define mental health stigma on social media; (2) how COVID-19 shaped mental health conversations and social media use. Methods: We collected 2,700 tweets related to seven mental health conditions: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and addiction. Twenty-seven service users rated them as stigmatising or neutral, followed by focus group discussions. Focus group transcripts were thematically analysed. Results: Participants rated 1,101 tweets (40.8%) as stigmatising. Tweets related to schizophrenia were most frequently classed as stigmatising (411/534, 77%). Tweets related to depression or anxiety were least stigmatising (139/634, 21.9%). A stigmatising tweet depended on perceived intention and context but some words (e.g. “psycho”) felt stigmatising irrespective of context. Discussion: The anonymity of social media seemingly increased stigma, but COVID-19 lockdowns improved mental health literacy. This is the first study to qualitatively investigate service users' views of stigma towards various mental health conditions on Twitter and we show stigma is common, particularly towards schizophrenia. Service user involvement is vital when designing solutions to stigma.

AB - Background: Mental health stigma on social media is well studied, but not from the perspective of mental health service users. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) increased mental health discussions and may have impacted stigma. Objectives: (1) to understand how service users perceive and define mental health stigma on social media; (2) how COVID-19 shaped mental health conversations and social media use. Methods: We collected 2,700 tweets related to seven mental health conditions: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and addiction. Twenty-seven service users rated them as stigmatising or neutral, followed by focus group discussions. Focus group transcripts were thematically analysed. Results: Participants rated 1,101 tweets (40.8%) as stigmatising. Tweets related to schizophrenia were most frequently classed as stigmatising (411/534, 77%). Tweets related to depression or anxiety were least stigmatising (139/634, 21.9%). A stigmatising tweet depended on perceived intention and context but some words (e.g. “psycho”) felt stigmatising irrespective of context. Discussion: The anonymity of social media seemingly increased stigma, but COVID-19 lockdowns improved mental health literacy. This is the first study to qualitatively investigate service users' views of stigma towards various mental health conditions on Twitter and we show stigma is common, particularly towards schizophrenia. Service user involvement is vital when designing solutions to stigma.

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KW - social media

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KW - Twitter

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ER -

Investigating mental health service user views of stigma on Twitter during COVID-19: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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