Activity on social networking sites and assessing its risk of epilepsy-related mortality risks was the focus of new research by Binghamton University.
Released online in Epilepsy & Behavior, the findings emphasize how activity of epilepsy patients on social networking sites may be indicators of serious outcomes.
“Here we explore the potential to identify putative predictive signals of SUDEP from online digital behavioral data using text and sentiment analysis tools. Specifically, we analyze Facebook timelines of six patients with epilepsy deceased due to SUDEP, donated by surviving family members,” the authors of the study explained.
“We find preliminary evidence for behavioral changes detectable by text and sentiment analysis tools,” the authors also explained.
“While the small sample of patient timelines analyzed in this study prevents generalization, our preliminary investigation demonstrates the potential of social media data as complementary data in larger studies of SUDEP and epilepsy.”
