A combined approach for the analysis of support groups on Facebook - the case of patients of hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), also known as Acne Inversa, is a chronic, underdiagnosed, often debilitating and painful disease that affects the folds of the skin. It has a considerable negative impact on the quality of life and on the emotional well-being. In this paper we discuss some results obtained by applying automatic Emotion Detection and Social Network Analysis techniques on the Facebook group of the Italian patients’ association (Inversa Onlus). In particular, we analyze the patients’ emotional states, as expressed by the posts and comments published from 2009 to 2017, and how these emotions are influenced by different social network factors, such as interactions and friendships in the group, during the observed years.