Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health: Real-time surveillance using google trends

Michael Hoerger; Sarah Alonzi; Laura M. Perry; Hallie M. Voss; Sanjana Easwar; James I. Gerhart

doi:10.1037/tra0000872

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health: Real-time surveillance using google trends

Michael Hoerger, Sarah Alonzi, Laura M. Perry, Hallie M. Voss, Sanjana Easwar, James I. Gerhart

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the wake of COVID-19, the capacity to track emerging trends in mental health symptoms and needs will guide public health responses at multiple ecological levels. Using Google Trends to track populationlevel mental health-related Google searches in the United States, this investigation identified pandemicassociated spikes in searches related to anxiety symptoms and remote treatments for anxiety, such as deep breathing and body scan meditation. As other discernable population-level changes in mental health have yet to emerge, continued surveillance is warranted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-2
Number of pages	2
Journal	Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Volume	12
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000872
State	Published - Sep 2020

Keywords

Anxiety
Internet-based therapy
Mindfulness
Pandemic
Search engine

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1037/tra0000872

Cite this

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abstract = "In the wake of COVID-19, the capacity to track emerging trends in mental health symptoms and needs will guide public health responses at multiple ecological levels. Using Google Trends to track populationlevel mental health-related Google searches in the United States, this investigation identified pandemicassociated spikes in searches related to anxiety symptoms and remote treatments for anxiety, such as deep breathing and body scan meditation. As other discernable population-level changes in mental health have yet to emerge, continued surveillance is warranted.",

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AU - Easwar, Sanjana

AU - Gerhart, James I.

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health: Real-time surveillance using google trends

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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