Collecting and analyzing depression notes using IBM social media analytics

Diman Ghazi, Yvon Leclerc

Abstract: Major Depression is a serious challenge in personal and public health. It is the most common illness among those who die from suicide, with approximately 60% suffering from this condition (Canada, 2012). Major depression affects about 14 million American adults of the population 18 or older, in any given year which only a fraction of them receive adequate treatment. Access to the World Wide Web and social networks has motivated many individuals to report their feelings and express themselves through the Web. Those data can reveal very important psychiatric symptoms that can be very helpful in identifying the onset of depression.