Opioids on Twitter: A Content Analysis of Conversations regarding Prescription Drugs on Social Media and Implications for Message Design

Abstract

As many as 130 lives are lost every day in the United States due to prescription drug misuse. The opioid crisis is gripping the country and disrupting the lives of millions. Not surprisingly, health organizations are desperately seeking solutions to educate and inform people regarding the issue, often seeking the help of various social media platforms. In this study, we do a content analysis of Twitter messages related to opioids in order to understand the factors that are most likely to influence content sharing. Our findings indicate that structure, source, and the actual content of the post all influence the likelihood of the content’s being shared. Specifically, certain types of content enhanced the likelihood of content sharing whereas use of the term “addiction” discouraged retweeting. Theoretical and practical implications for message design are discussed.