JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The advent of the internet has transformed the landscape of health information acquisition and sharing. Subreddits like r/medical_advice on Reddit have become hubs for such activities, affecting patient knowledge and decision-making. While the popularity of these platforms is recognized, research into the interactions and content within these communities remains sparse. Understanding the dynamics of these platforms is crucial for improving online health information quality.

Objective:

This study aims to quantitatively analyze the subreddit r/medical_advice to characterize the medical questions posed and the demographics of individuals providing answers. Insights into the subreddit's user engagement, information-seeking behavior, and the quality of shared information will contribute to the existing body of literature on health information-seeking in the digital era.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted, examining all posts and top comments from r/medical_advice since its creation on October 1, 2011. Data were collected on March 2, 2023, from pushshift.io, and analysis covered post and author flairs, scores, and engagement metrics. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio and GraphPad Prism 9.0.

Results:

From October 2011 to March 2023, 201,680 posts and 721,882 comments were analyzed. Excluding auto-generated comments, 528,383 comments were included. 41% of posts had no user flairs, while verified medical professionals made only 0.1% of posts. Average engagement per post was 2.00 ± 7.03 scores and 3.32 ± 4.89 comments. In Period 2, urgent questions and level 10 pain reported higher engagement, with significant differences in scores and comments based on flair type (P < .001). Period 3 saw the highest engagement in posts related to pregnancy and the lowest in bones/joints/ligaments. Media inclusion significantly increased engagement, with video posts receiving the highest interaction (P < .001).

Conclusions:

The study reveals significant engagement with r/medical_advice, with user interactions influenced by the type of query and inclusion of visual media. High engagement with posts concerning pregnancy and urgent medical queries reflects focused public interest and the subreddit's role as a preliminary health information resource. The predominance of non-verified medical professionals as information providers highlights a shift towards community-based knowledge exchange, though it raises questions about the reliability of the information. Future research should explore cross-platform behaviors and the impact of misinformation on public health. Effective moderation and the involvement of verified medical professionals are recommended to enhance the subreddit's role as a reliable health information resource. Clinical Trial: N/A