A text-mining analysis of the public's reactions to the opioid crisis

Background: Opioid abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. On August 25, 2016, the former Surgeon General of the United States sent an open letter to care providers asking for their help with combatting this growing health crisis. Social media forums like Twitter allow for open discussions among the public and up-to-date exchanges of information about timely topics like opioids. Therefore, the goal of the current study is to identify the public's reactions to the opioid epidemic by identifying the most popular topics tweeted by users. Methods: We used a text-miner, algorithmic-driven statistical program to capture 73,235 original tweets and retweets posted within a two-month time span (August 15, 2016 through October 15, 2016). All tweets contained references to opioids, turnthetide, or similar keywords. We then analyzed the sets of tweets to identify the most prevalent topics. Results: The most discussed topics had to do with public figures addressing opioid abuse, creating better treatment options for teen addicts, using marijuana as an alternative for managing pain, holding foreign and domestic drug makers accountable for the epidemic, promoting the Rx for Change campaign, addressing double-standards in the perceptions and treatment of Black and White opioid users, and advertising opioid recovery programs. Conclusions: Twitter allows users to find current information, voice their concerns, and share calls for action in response to the opioid epidemic. Monitoring the conversations about opioids that are taking place on social media forums like Twitter can help public health officials and care providers better understand how the public is responding to this health crisis.