#Menopause: the menopause ontology project

Abstract Objective To create a hashtag ontology specific to menopause. Methods This study analyzed tweets including the hashtag #menopause between November 2019 and November 2021. Tweets performed by international or national societies as well as expert social media influencers were included in the analysis. To analyze hashtag utilization amongst all Twitter users, hashtags from the “Top” tweets Twitter search function from October 2021 were also analyzed. Co-occurring hashtags were recorded as well as the type of user who performed the tweet during the “Top” tweets analysis. Social media influencers and experts reviewed and edited the hashtag list. The hashtags were then grouped by subject. Results We analyzed 382 tweets with #menopause. Of the users included in the “Top” tweets, 40% were patient advocates or advocacy groups; 38% were medical professionals, academics, societies, or journals; and 22% were general users. In total, 123 unique hashtags were identified. After social media influencer and expert review, 32 hashtags were included in the final ontology. The ontology was then grouped into the following categories based on subject matter: general, premature menopause, hormones, sexual function, and genital disorders. Conclusions Social media is an important tool for medical professionals and patients. Our study is the first to develop a hashtag ontology specific to menopause. Adoption of a hashtag ontology with standardized terminology by medical professionals may facilitate easier communication with peers and patients.