How Social Media Stigmatizes Substance Use: A Trend Analysis Examining a Politicized Visit to a Pediatric Hospital Unit

Social media has become a ubiquitous platform for language directly impacting women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and children with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). This study examines stigmatizing language applications related to OUD and NAS on Twitter during an event involving a political figure’s visit to a pediatric hospital unit. Analysis of N = 2,789 tweets across three stages of the event showed notable trends. Before the event, 56.07% of tweets focused on information sharing , while during and after the event, 22.64% and 20.69% of tweets were categorized as medically divisive and political . Chi-square analyses indicate significant differences in tweet categories, with the political category experiencing the most substantial increase during and after the event. Despite sharing information and opinions, stigmatizing language regarding NAS and OUD was pervasive. The researchers argue for more active involvement of healthcare professionals on social media to promote accurate information and advise patients on where to access supportive information and resources.