COVID-19 topics and emotional frames in vaccine hesitation: A social media text and sentiment analysis

Kristen L Sussman; Lindsay Bouchacourt; Laura F Bright; Gary B Wilcox; Michael Mackert; Aliza Steinberg Norwood; Brandon Shaun Allport Altillo

doi:10.1177/20552076231158308

COVID-19 topics and emotional frames in vaccine hesitation: A social media text and sentiment analysis

Digit Health. 2023 Mar 3:9:20552076231158308. doi: 10.1177/20552076231158308. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Kristen L Sussman¹, Lindsay Bouchacourt², Laura F Bright², Gary B Wilcox², Michael Mackert³, Aliza Steinberg Norwood⁴, Brandon Shaun Allport Altillo⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.
² Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Texas at Austin, Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
³ Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations & Center for Health Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁵ Departments of Population Health, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics, Primary Care, Family, and Community Medicine Clerkship, Primary Care Internist and Pediatrician, Lone Star Circle of Care at Collinfield, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.

Abstract

Objective: Addressing gaps in COVID-19 vaccine-hesitancy research, the current study aimed to add depth and nuance to the exploratory research examining vaccine-hesitant groups. Using a larger, but more focused conversation occurring on social media, the results can be used by health communicators to frame emotionally resonant messaging to improve COVID-19 vaccine advocacy while also mitigating negative concerns for vaccine-hesitant individuals.

Methods: Social media mentions were collected using a social media listening software, Brandwatch, to examine topics and sentiments in COVID-19 hesitancy discourse during a period of September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. The results from this query included publicly available mentions on two popular social media sites, Twitter and Reddit. The dataset of 14,901 global, English language messages were analyzed using a computer-assisted process in SAS text-mining and Brandwatch software. The data revealed eight unique topics before being analyzed by sentiment.

Results: Among the COVID-19 hesitancy data, trust-related topics emerged that included declining vaccine acceptance, a parallel pandemic of distrust, and a call for politicians to let the scientific process work, among others. Positive sentiment revealed interest in the sources which included healthcare professionals, doctors, and government organizations. Pfizer was found to elicit both positive and negative emotions in the vaccine-hesitancy data. The negative sentiment tended to dominate the hesitancy conversation, accelerating once vaccines hit the market.

Conclusions: Relevant topics were identified to help support targeted communication, strategically accelerate vaccine acceptance, and mitigate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the public. Strategic methods of online and offline messaging tactics are suggested to reach diverse, malleable populations of interest. Topics of personal anecdotes of safety, effectiveness, and recommendations among families are identified as persuasive communication opportunities.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pfizer; health communication; social media; vaccine hesitancy.