Table 4 Sample social media posts in the month prior to an inpatient or ED visit.

From: Variability in Language used on Social Media prior to Hospital Visits

Encounter diagnosis

#days prior to encounter

Example post (redacted)

Inpatient encounters

Delivery complicated by asthma with acute exacerbation

1

just…had a major asthma attack…been like this for 3 days n today was the worst

Heart failure exacerbation

1

…cant sleep:(…as soon as I get to lay on my stomach I gotta deal wit this

Angina in the setting of heart failure

25

At Wendy’s for dinner…to make it healthy, ordered water instead of coke to go with my cheeseburger and fries

Unipolar major depression with psychotic features

1

GOIN IN CIRCLES…ROUND AND ROUND…I FEEL SO STUPID FOOLISH LOVING U THIS WAY……the tears…the hurt…i wish that u would just appear

Hysterectomy

1

…I gotta go all day without food….So pissed off…I know I’m scheduled to have the surgery…tomorrow

Pelvic inflammatory disease

1

I’m so sick…I’m ready to go to the emergency room…it took me an hour to get up and pee…

ED encounters

Spider bite

1

I was bit by something…my [arm] is purple and sore…I think it was a [bug]… I feel weak…if I’m here tomorrow I’ll go to [the ED]. I pray I don’t have [Lyme disease]…

Urinary tract infection

6

Woke up in…my own blood…totally anemic…I write this for 3 reasons: 1. awake and drinking [cranberry juice]….2….the past [4] months taught me that problematic…bladder and GI tract are unbelievably annoying….3….I love [worrying], attention, and lists

Breast pain (etiology unclear)

3

My heart is so heavy right now….R.I.P grandpa…

Nausea with vomiting (etiology unclear)

3

…juice: please stay in my body…I don’t want to reexperience it

Nausea with vomiting (etiology unclear)

2

So sick ughh cant take this. Im so bored and not feeln good at all

Panic attack

1

I stick my hand out for you…but you don’t give me a hand back…