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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
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A time&#x2013;series analysis</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>601621ba2906d5f47ab0cedf2790eeeb</sid><firstname>Hannah</firstname><surname>Evans</surname><name>Hannah Evans</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author><author><sid>ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55</sid><ORCID>0000-0002-5657-6995</ORCID><firstname>Ann</firstname><surname>John</surname><name>Ann John</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2021-07-01</date><deptcode>HDAT</deptcode><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&lt;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. 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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. 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spelling 2022-08-16T17:28:33.8466568 v2 57253 2021-07-01 Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis 601621ba2906d5f47ab0cedf2790eeeb Hannah Evans Hannah Evans true false ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55 0000-0002-5657-6995 Ann John Ann John true false 2021-07-01 HDAT 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 Journal Article Journal of Affective Disorders 294 737 744 Elsevier BV 0165-0327 Mental Health; Pandemic; Suicide; Depression; Loneliness; Anxiety; Domestic violence 1 11 2021 2021-11-01 10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.086 COLLEGE NANME Health Data Science COLLEGE CODE HDAT Swansea University 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). 2022-08-16T17:28:33.8466568 2021-07-01T10:07:56.1858834 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Medicine Duleeka Knipe 0000-0002-1040-7635 1 David Gunnell 0000-0002-0829-6470 2 Hannah Evans 3 Ann John 0000-0002-5657-6995 4 Daisy Fancourt 5 57253__20572__5f5726fc115e421c8a3cf29df3cc14b5.pdf 57253.pdf 2021-08-06T15:32:24.4808341 Output 894498 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2021 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY license true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
spellingShingle Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
Hannah Evans
Ann John
title_short Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
title_full Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
title_fullStr Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
title_full_unstemmed Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
title_sort Is Google Trends a useful tool for tracking mental and social distress during a public health emergency? A time–series analysis
author_id_str_mv 601621ba2906d5f47ab0cedf2790eeeb
ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55
author_id_fullname_str_mv 601621ba2906d5f47ab0cedf2790eeeb_***_Hannah Evans
ed8a9c37bd7b7235b762d941ef18ee55_***_Ann John
author Hannah Evans
Ann John
author2 Duleeka Knipe
David Gunnell
Hannah Evans
Ann John
Daisy Fancourt
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Affective Disorders
container_volume 294
container_start_page 737
publishDate 2021
institution Swansea University
issn 0165-0327
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.086
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Medicine{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Medicine
document_store_str 1
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description 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
published_date 2021-11-01T04:12:51Z
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score 11.013371

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