Exploring Web3 for Applying to Online Health Community Development Using Text Analysis

Abstract

With the rapid development of internet technology, it has become increasingly straightforward for people to seek and share health information in online health communities (OHCs). However, the current OHCs are mainly centralized systems fraught with data breaches, identity theft, and censorship problem. Some researchers proposed that Web3 technology can provide potential solutions to current problems. In this research, we identify three core components that should empathize in developing OHCs: trust, privacy, and information quality. Accordingly, we surveyed and analyzed Web3 literature and generated the spectrum of Web3 research. Then we applied text analysis to 6 articles we had collected to conduct a co-occurrence network and generate minimum spanning trees. We then discussed the important factors in the technical, application, and service aspects for applying Web3 technology in future OHCs development.