Exploring the Use of Social Media for Medical Problem Solving by Analyzing the Subreddit r/medical_advice: Quantitative Analysis.

Abstract

Background: The advent of the internet has transformed the landscape of health information acquisition and sharing. Reddit has become a hub for such activities, such as the subreddit r/medical_advice, affecting patients' knowledge and decision-making. While the popularity of these platforms is recognized, research into the interactions and content within these communities remains sparse. Understanding the dynamics of these platforms is crucial for improving online health information quality.

Objective: This study aims to quantitatively analyze the subreddit r/medical_advice to characterize the medical questions posed and the demographics of individuals providing answers. Insights into the subreddit's user engagement, information-seeking behavior, and the quality of shared information will contribute to the existing body of literature on health information seeking in the digital era.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, examining all posts and top comments from r/medical_advice since its creation on October 1, 2011. Data were collected on March 2, 2023, from pushhift.io, and the analysis included post and author flairs, scores, and engagement metrics. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio and GraphPad Prism 9.0.

Results: From October 2011 to March 2023, a total of 201,680 posts and 721,882 comments were analyzed. After excluding autogenerated posts and comments, 194,678 posts and 528,383 comments remained for analysis. A total of 41% (77,529/194,678) of posts had no user flairs, while only 0.1% (108/194,678) of posts were made by verified medical professionals. The average engagement per post was a score of 2 (SD 7.03) and 3.32 (SD 4.89) comments. In period 2, urgent questions and those with level-10 pain reported higher engagement, with significant differences in scores and comments based on flair type (P<.001). Period 3 saw the highest engagement in posts related to pregnancy and the lowest in posts about bones, joints, or ligaments. Media inclusion significantly increased engagement, with video posts receiving the highest interaction (P<.001).

Conclusions: The study reveals a significant engagement with r/medical_advice, with user interactions influenced by the type of query and the inclusion of visual media. High engagement with posts about pregnancy and urgent medical queries reflects a focused public interest and the subreddit's role as a preliminary health information resource. The predominance of nonverified medical professionals providing information highlights a shift toward community-based knowledge exchange, though it raises questions about the reliability of the information. Future research should explore cross-platform behaviors and the impact of misinformation on public health. Effective moderation and the involvement of verified medical professionals are recommended to enhance the subreddit's role as a reliable health information resource.