Functional and safety considerations in patient clothes during pandemic - An infodemiological network analysis and LDA topic modeling -

This study analyzes the discourse of Korean internet users regarding patient clothing and identifies the changes to structure and content of clothing resulting from infectious disease outbreaks. The analysis draws on texts from Korean blogs, internet cafes, and news articles from 2011 to 2021 related to patient clothing. Using Ucinet 5 and NodeXL 1.0.1 programs, network density, centrality, and cluster analyses were conducted using the Wakita–Tsurumi algorithm. Additionally, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling was applied using Python 3.7 to further explore thematic patterns within the discourse. Throughout the period of study, it was found that users consistently discussed the specific purpose and functionality of patient clothing. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the distribution and influence of keywords related to the functional aspects of patient clothing, such as “hygiene and safety,” significantly increased. An increased focus was placed on elements such as functionality, activity, autonomy, hygiene, and safety during the pandemic as public health concerns grew. It can be seen that patients increasingly share their experiences online and hospitalization rates surge during health crises; this study provides valuable insights into how the design of patient clothing can be improved through various informatics techniques. It underscores the evolving perception of patient clothing as essential medical equipment during health emergencies. In addition, it offers practical guidance for enhancing designs that better reflect shifting societal concerns, particularly regarding health, safety, and patient comfort.