A study of Facebook comments regarding amber teething necklaces: insights into public perception

Purpose: To qualitatively analyse English-language Facebook comments pertaining to amber necklaces, aiming to explore user experiences, perceptions, and beliefs. Methods: A sample of 1000 comments, totalling 2309 sentences, was collected via CrowdTangle. Sociodemographic details and the time elapsed since comment were also recorded. Using QDAMiner software, a single investigator manually performed deductive content analysis, categorising each sentence based on a predefined list from the "Seeking Health-Related Information Online" model. WordStat software was employed to assess word clouds and cluster analyses. Results: The majority of comments originated from white users (88.5%), females (92%), and residents of the United Kingdom (35.8%). Key terms included "teething," "amber," "baby," and "love," with "teething" central in four identified clusters on the main map. Predominantly, sentences were categorised as "information is useful or potentially useful" (25.29%) and "positive experiences from using the amber necklace" (17.11%). Over time, there was an increase in comments categorised as "receiver’s doubts related to information" and "acquisition or intention to acquire the necklace." Conversely, comments related to safety concerns, fear of accidents, dentist contraindication, and information quality decreased. Conclusion: Facebook users actively engage with amber necklace content, frequently sharing positive experiences and recommending its use to other parents. Notably, concerns about associated risks appeared to diminish over time.