Leveraging Media Monitoring to Inform Targeted Health Communications for Adolescents, Older Adults, and LGBTQ+ People.

Abstract

Objective: This manuscript assesses how media monitoring can guide the tailoring of public health communications for adolescents, older adults, and LGBTQ+ individuals, addressing their unique mental health challenges.

Design: The study employed a thematic analysis of publicly available digital and social media data.

Setting: Research was conducted using media monitoring platforms, with a focus on conversations relevant to specific groups within the United States.

Participants: The dataset included millions of public posts relevant to mental health issues among adolescents, older adults, and LGBTQ+ communities, collected over a one-year period. Main Outcome Measures: Key themes and patterns within mental health discussions were identified.

Results: Discussions around the "youth mental health crisis" were prominent, with 25% of adolescent-related posts reflecting this sentiment, often highlighting the impact of social media and academic pressures. For older adults, themes of loneliness and financial struggles were recurrent, with discussions showing a lack of practical support and resources. In LGBTQ+ conversations, there was an emphasis on the challenges of discrimination and identity-related misconceptions, with 28% of the mentions relating to mental health crises involving suicide or self-harm. These discussions underscored the critical need for inclusive and affirmative support tailored to the unique challenges faced by these groups.

Conclusions: Media monitoring provides essential insights that can improve public health messaging by identifying trending mental health discussions and sentiments. By acknowledging and addressing the specific needs and challenges of specific population groups, public health communicators can develop more effective strategies that not only highlight problems but also offer clear, actionable solutions to promote better mental health outcomes and support. This approach is crucial for adapting health communications to the evolving landscape of media and public discourse, ensuring that messages are both relevant and supportive.