Social Media and Communication in Times of Public Health Crisis: Analysis of COVID-19 YouTube Vlog activities in the sharing of patient experience and information

Fu Kang; Seunghye Sohn; Guiohk Lee

Social Media and Communication in Times of Public Health Crisis: Analysis of COVID-19 YouTube Vlog activities in the sharing of patient experience and information

Fu Kang, Seunghye Sohn, Guiohk Lee, Journal of Internet Computing and Services, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 107-115, Aug. 2023

10.7472/jksii.2023.24.4.107, Full Text:

Keywords: COVID-19, Vlog, YouTube, case study, lexicon-based sentiment analysis

Abstract

This study analyzes the content of YouTube Vlog videos created by patients of Coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) in South Korea and viewer comments on those videos. As this new infectious disease started to sweep the world in late 2019 and early 2020, the public started facing fear and uncertainty stemming from the lack of sufficient and accurate information about the virus. At the same time, as COVID-19 patients in South Korea were treated in isolation to prevent the spread of the virus, the patients themselves were experiencing anxiety and exclusion from the society. During this period, there was an increase in YouTube Vlog videos created by the patients in which they shared their experiences going through the treatment and recovery processes. To understand how these YouTube Vlog videos were being used by the patients to connect with the society and seek support in a state of isolation and anxiety, this study conducted a qualitative multi-case analysis of three sample YouTube Vlog video channels to analyze their content, as well as a lexicon-based sentiment analysis of viewer comments to understand the experiences and reactions of viewers. The patients’ YouTube Vlog videos showed that they shared similar stages of progress, despite each emphasizing a different main theme. Overall, the tone of the viewer comments became increasingly positive over time, although with some variance among different patient cases and stages. The results confirmed that Vlogs of patients played a significant role in reducing the uncertainty around COVID-19 and strengthening social support for the patients. The findings of this study can improve an understanding of the psychological and behavioral aspects of patient experience in isolated treatment and the impact of shared communication among members of society in times of crisis.

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Cite this article

[APA Style]

Kang, F., Sohn, S., & Lee, G. (2023). Social Media and Communication in Times of Public Health Crisis: Analysis of COVID-19 YouTube Vlog activities in the sharing of patient experience and information. Journal of Internet Computing and Services, 24(4), 107-115. DOI: 10.7472/jksii.2023.24.4.107.

[IEEE Style]

F. Kang, S. Sohn, G. Lee, "Social Media and Communication in Times of Public Health Crisis: Analysis of COVID-19 YouTube Vlog activities in the sharing of patient experience and information," Journal of Internet Computing and Services, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 107-115, 2023. DOI: 10.7472/jksii.2023.24.4.107.

[ACM Style]

Fu Kang, Seunghye Sohn, and Guiohk Lee. 2023. Social Media and Communication in Times of Public Health Crisis: Analysis of COVID-19 YouTube Vlog activities in the sharing of patient experience and information. Journal of Internet Computing and Services, 24, 4, (2023), 107-115. DOI: 10.7472/jksii.2023.24.4.107.