IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0270953.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Deriving anti-epidemic policy from public sentiment: A framework based on text analysis with microblog data

Author

Listed:
  • Sijia Zhao
  • Lixuan Chen
  • Ying Liu
  • Muran Yu
  • Han Han

Abstract

Microblog has become the “first scenario” under which the public learn about the epidemic situation and express their opinions. Public sentiment mining based on microblog data can provide a reference for the government’s information disclosure, public sentiment guidance and formulation of epidemic prevention and control policy. In this paper, about 200,000 pieces of text data were collected from Jan. 1 to Feb. 26, 2020 from Sina Weibo, which is the most popular microblog website in China. And a public sentiment analysis framework suitable for Chinese-language scenarios was proposed. In this framework, a sentiment dictionary suitable for Chinese-language scenarios was constructed, and Baidu’s Sentiment Analysis API was used to calculate the public sentiment indexes. Then, an analysis on the correlation between the public sentiment indexes and the COVID-19 case indicators was made. It was discovered that there is a high correlation between public sentiments and incidence trends, in which negative sentiment is of statistical significance for the prediction of epidemic development. To further explore the source of public negative sentiment, the topics of the public negative sentiment on Weibo was analyzed, and 20 topics in five categories were got. It is found that there is a strong linkage between the hot spots of public concern and the epidemic prevention and control policies. If the policies cover the hot spots of public concern in a timely and effective manner, the public negative sentiment will be effectively alleviated. The analytical framework proposed in this paper also applies to the public sentiment analysis and policy making for other major public events.

Suggested Citation

  • Sijia Zhao & Lixuan Chen & Ying Liu & Muran Yu & Han Han, 2022. "Deriving anti-epidemic policy from public sentiment: A framework based on text analysis with microblog data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0270953
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270953
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0270953
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0270953&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0270953?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cynthia Chew & Gunther Eysenbach, 2010. "Pandemics in the Age of Twitter: Content Analysis of Tweets during the 2009 H1N1 Outbreak," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(11), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Sijia Li & Yilin Wang & Jia Xue & Nan Zhao & Tingshao Zhu, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 Epidemic Declaration on Psychological Consequences: A Study on Active Weibo Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-9, March.
    3. Xuehua Han & Juanle Wang & Min Zhang & Xiaojie Wang, 2020. "Using Social Media to Mine and Analyze Public Opinion Related to COVID-19 in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-22, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christian M. Hafner, 2020. "The Spread of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Time and Space," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Siqi Lai & Brian Deal, 2022. "Parks, Green Space, and Happiness: A Spatially Specific Sentiment Analysis Using Microblogs in Shanghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Zijing Ye & Ruisi Li & Jing Wu, 2022. "Dynamic Demand Evaluation of COVID-19 Medical Facilities in Wuhan Based on Public Sentiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Junjian Gu, 2020. "Risk Assessment on Continued Public Health Threats: Evidence from China’s Stock Market," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-30, October.
    5. Wen Shi & Diyi Liu & Jing Yang & Jing Zhang & Sanmei Wen & Jing Su, 2020. "Social Bots’ Sentiment Engagement in Health Emergencies: A Topic-Based Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic Discussions on Twitter," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Zvjezdana Gvozdanović & Nikolina Farčić & Hrvoje Šimić & Vikica Buljanović & Lea Gvozdanović & Sven Katalinić & Stana Pačarić & Domagoj Gvozdanović & Željka Dujmić & Blaženka Miškić & Ivana Barać & Na, 2021. "The Impact of Education, COVID-19 and Risk Factors on the Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-14, February.
    7. Israel Escudero-Castillo & Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz & Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez, 2021. "Furloughs, Teleworking and Other Work Situations during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Mental Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    8. S. Brent Jackson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & Lincoln R. Larson & M. Nils Peterson & Erin Seekamp, 2021. "Outdoor Activity Participation Improves Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, March.
    9. Massimiliano Scopelliti & Maria Giuseppina Pacilli & Antonio Aquino, 2021. "TV News and COVID-19: Media Influence on Healthy Behavior in Public Spaces," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    10. Yuan Zheng & Jingyi Zhou & Xianglong Zeng & Mingyan Jiang & Tian P. S. Oei, 2022. "A New Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Intervention Focusing on Well-Being: A Randomized Control Trial of Mindfulness-Based Positive Psychology," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2703-2724, August.
    11. Nisar, Sobia & Shafiq, Muhammad, 2019. "Framework for efficient utilisation of social media in Pakistan's healthcare sector," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 31-43.
    12. Luis-Millán González & José Devís-Devís & Maite Pellicer-Chenoll & Miquel Pans & Alberto Pardo-Ibañez & Xavier García-Massó & Fernanda Peset & Fernanda Garzón-Farinós & Víctor Pérez-Samaniego, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Sport in Twitter: A Quantitative and Qualitative Content Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-20, April.
    13. Clemens Koestner & Viktoria Eggert & Theresa Dicks & Kristin Kalo & Carolina Zähme & Pavel Dietz & Stephan Letzel & Till Beutel, 2022. "Psychological Burdens among Teachers in Germany during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic—Subgroup Analysis from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Online Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Durmuş Burak, 2023. "The Effect of Risk and Protective Factors on Primary School Students’ COVID-19 Anxiety: Back to School After the Pandemic," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(1), pages 29-51, February.
    15. Deborah Kanda & Jingjing Yin & Xinyan Zhang & Hani Samawi, 2025. "Efficient regression analyses with zero-augmented models based on ranking," Computational Statistics, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 601-632, February.
    16. Han, Chunjia & Yang, Mu & Piterou, Athena, 2021. "Do news media and citizens have the same agenda on COVID-19? an empirical comparison of twitter posts," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    17. Maraseni, Tek & Poudyal, Bishnu Hari & Aryal, Kishor & Laudari, Hari Krishna, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 in the forestry sector: A case of lowland region of Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    18. Ilse Adriana Gutiérrez-Pérez & Pedro Delgado-Floody & Daniel Jerez-Mayorga & Diego Soto-García & Felipe Caamaño-Navarrete & Isela Parra-Rojas & Nacim Molina-Gutiérrez & Iris Paola Guzmán-Guzmán, 2021. "Lifestyle and Sociodemographic Parameters Associated with Mental and Physical Health during COVID-19 Confinement in Three Ibero-American Countries. A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-13, May.
    19. Jadsada Kunno & Busaba Supawattanabodee & Chavanant Sumanasrethakul & Chuthamat Kaewchandee & Wachiraporn Wanichnopparat & Krit Prasittichok, 2022. "The Relationship between Attitudes and Satisfaction Concerning the COVID-19 Vaccine and Vaccine Boosters in Urban Bangkok, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    20. Mateusz Ciski & Krzysztof Rząsa, 2023. "Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression in the Investigation of Local COVID-19 Anomalies Based on Population Age Structure in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-23, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0270953. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.