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Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis

Duleeka Knipe Orcid Logo, David Gunnell Orcid Logo, Hannah Evans, Ann John Orcid Logo, Daisy Fancourt

Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume: 294, Pages: 737 - 744

Swansea University Authors: Hannah Evans, Ann John Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.086

Abstract

Background: Google Trends data are increasingly used by researchers as an indicator of population mental health, but few studies have investigated the validity of this approach during a public health emergency.Methods: Relative search volumes (RSV) for the topics depression, anxiety, self-harm, suic...

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Published in: Journal of Affective Disorders
ISSN: 0165-0327
Published: Elsevier BV 2021
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57253
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Abstract: Background: Google Trends data are increasingly used by researchers as an indicator of population mental health, but few studies have investigated the validity of this approach during a public health emergency.Methods: Relative search volumes (RSV) for the topics depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide, suicidal ideation, loneliness, and abuse were obtained from Google Trends. We used graphical and time-series approaches to compare daily trends in searches for these topics against population measures of these outcomes recorded using validated self-report scales (PHQ-9; GAD-7; UCLA-3) in a weekly survey (n=~70,000) of the impact COVID-19 on psychological and social experiences in the UK population (12/03/2020 to 21/08/ 2020).Results: Self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, self-harm/suicidal ideation, self-harm, loneliness and abuse decreased during the period studied. There was no evidence of an association between self-reported anxiety, self-harm, abuse and RSV on Google Trends. Trends in Google topic RSV for depression and suicidal ideation were inversely associated with self-reports of these outcomes (p=0.03 and p=0.04 respectively). However, there was statistical and graphical evidence that self-report and Google searches for loneliness (p<0.001) tracked one another. Limitations: No age/sex breakdown of Google Trends data are available. Survey respondents were not representative of the UK population and no pre-pandemic data were available. Conclusion: Google Trends data do not appear to be a useful indicator of changing levels of population mental health during a public health emergency, but may have some value as an indicator of loneliness. Keywords: Mental Health, Pandemic, Suicide, Depression, Loneliness, Anxiety, Domestic violence
Keywords: Mental Health; Pandemic; Suicide; Depression; Loneliness; Anxiety; Domestic violence
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Funders: This COVID-19 Social Study was funded by the Nuffield Foundation (WEL/FR-000022583), but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation. The study was also supported by the MARCH Mental Health Network, funded by the Cross-Disciplinary Mental Health Network Plus initiative supported by UK Research and Innovation (ES/S002588/1), and by the Wellcome Trust (221400/Z/20/Z). DF was funded by the Wellcome Trust (205407/Z/16/Z). This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust through an Institutional Strategic Support Fund Award to the University of Bristol [204813] which supports DK. DK is also supported through the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol. DG is supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, England. AJ and HE are supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_PC_17211).
Start Page: 737
End Page: 744

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