1. What are Ophthalmology Patients Asking Online? An Analysis of the Eye Triage Subreddit.
- Author
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Mahjoub, Heba, Prabhu, Arpan V, and Sikder, Shameema
- Subjects
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OPHTHALMOLOGY , *SURGICAL complications , *ANXIETY , *POSTAL codes , *OPHTHALMOLOGISTS - Abstract
background. Post and comment content codes were categorized in an iterative manner with differences resolved by author consensus. Categorical statistics were compiled. Results: Two hundred posts and 456 comments were analyzed since the creation of r/eyetriage, a forum created exclusively for patients to seek advice from health-care professionals. Twenty-six (13%) of the total posts included an image. On average, comments received 1.76 ± 2.17 upvotes along with 4.50 ± 4.47 replies. The most common content codes among the posts were 42 (21.0%) seeking diagnoses, 23 (11.5%) surgical complications, and 13 (6.50%) alternative medication options. Eighty-two (41%) posts conveyed a clear emotional tone, most notably 11 (13.4%) with anxiety and 10 (12.2%) with worry. The top comments came from 165 (36.2%) self-identified patients, 151 (33.1%) optometrists, and 49 (10.8%) ophthalmologists. The top comment codes for replies included 158 (34.7%) with treatment advice, 70 (15.4%) with advice deferred to follow-up appointment with other health-care specialists, and 60 (13.2%) with sharing information. Conclusions: Patients are asking ophthalmology-related questions on the Eye Triage subreddit, and they are more likely to receive information from other patients or optometrists than from self-identified ophthalmologists. When emotions were revealed, patients were often anxious and worried. Opportunities exist for ophthalmologists to take a more active role on this subreddit and help educate patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
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