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What We Ask about When We Ask about Quarantine? Content and Sentiment Analysis on Online Help-Seeking Posts during COVID-19 on a Q&A Platform in China

Author

Listed:
  • Luanying Li

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China)

  • Lin Hua

    (Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
    Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China)

  • Fei Gao

    (Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
    Institute of Modern Languages and Linguistics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak, a recent major public health emergency, was the first national health crisis since China entered the era of mobile social media. In this context, the public posted many quarantine-related posts for help on social media. Most previous studies of social media during the pandemic focused only on people’s emotional needs, with less analysis of quarantine help-seeking content. Based on this situation, this study analyzed the relationship between the number of quarantine help-seeking posts and the number of new diagnoses at different time points in the pandemic using Zhihu, the most comprehensive topic discussion platform in China. It showed a positive correlation between the number of help-seeking posts and the pandemic’s severity. Given the diversity of people’s help-seeking content, this study used topic model analysis and sentiment analysis to explore the key content of people’s quarantine help-seeking posts during the pandemic. In light of the framework of uses and gratifications, we found that people posted the most questions in relation to help with information related to pandemic information and quarantine information. Interestingly, the study also found that the content of people’s quarantine posts during the pandemic was primarily negative in sentiment. This study can thus help the community understand the changes in people’s perceptions, attitudes, and concerns through their reactions to emergencies and then formulate relevant countermeasures to address pandemic control and information regulation, which will have implications for future responses to public health emergencies. Moreover, in terms of psychological aspects, it will help implement future mental health intervention strategies and better address the public’s psychological problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Luanying Li & Lin Hua & Fei Gao, 2022. "What We Ask about When We Ask about Quarantine? Content and Sentiment Analysis on Online Help-Seeking Posts during COVID-19 on a Q&A Platform in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:780-:d:1021703
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhu, Bangren & Zheng, Xinqi & Liu, Haiyan & Li, Jiayang & Wang, Peipei, 2020. "Analysis of spatiotemporal characteristics of big data on social media sentiment with COVID-19 epidemic topics," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    2. Xuehua Han & Juanle Wang & Min Zhang & Xiaojie Wang, 2020. "Using Social Media to Mine and Analyze Public Opinion Related to COVID-19 in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Lucini, Filipe R. & Tonetto, Leandro M. & Fogliatto, Flavio S. & Anzanello, Michel J., 2020. "Text mining approach to explore dimensions of airline customer satisfaction using online customer reviews," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
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