Several studies have shown that search for terms on the internet related to suicidal behavior is associated with increased deaths from this cause. This study aimed to investigate the evolutionary curve of Google search for terms related to suicidal behavior to analyze the relationship between Google search for terms related to suicidal behavior and the suicide-related deaths monthly in the 2008-2018 period. This is a retrospective cohort study to determine the relationship between internet search for terms related to suicide and suicide cases. The evolution of the search on the internet was analyzed through the study of Time Series using the Box-Jenkins methodology. Pearson’s Correlation Analysis was used to assess the relationship between the suicide rate and the internet search. A total of 115,519 deaths by suicide were registered in the 2008-2018 period, with a death rate increasing. A correlation was identified between the search on Google for terms that show intentionality for suicide and death rates from this cause in Brazil (r > 0.40). This preliminary investigation showed that the activity of Brazilian internet users is moderately correlated with the rate of deaths by suicide for specific search terms used on Google.
ABASSE, Maria Leonor Ferreira et al. Análise epidemiológica da morbimortalidade por suicídio entre adolescentes em Minas Gerais, Brasil. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, v. 14, n. 2, p. 407-416, 2009.
ABUABARA, Alexander; ABUABARA, Allan; TONCHUK, Carin Albino Luçolli. Comparative analysis of death by suicide in Brazil and in the United States: descriptive, cross-sectional time series study. Sao Paulo Medical Journal, v. 135, n. 2, p. 150-156, 2017.
ARORA, V. S.; STUCKLER, D.; MCKEE, M. Tracking search engine queries for suicide in the United Kingdom, 2004-2013. Public Health, v. 137, p. 147-153, Aug. 2016.
AYERS, J. W. et al. Internet Searches for Suicide Following the Release of 13 Reasons Why. JAMA Intern Med, v. 177, n. 10, p. 1527-1529, 1 out. 2017.
BARROS, J. M. et al. The Validity of Google Trends Search Volumes for Behavioral Forecasting of National Suicide Rates in Ireland. Int J Environ Res Public Health, v. 16, n. 17, p. 3201, 2 set. 2019.
BAUME, P.; CANTOR, C. H.; ROLFE, A. Cybersuicide: the role of interactive suicide notes on the Internet. Crisis, v. 18, n. 2, p. 73-79, 1997.
BRAGAZZI, N. L. A Google Trends-based approach for monitoring NSSI. Psychol Res Behav Manag, v. 7, p. 1-8, 13 dez. 2013.
CHANDLER, V. Google and suicides: what can we learn about the use of internet to prevent suicides? Public Health, v. 154, p. 144-150, jan. 2018.
CHANG, S. S. et al. The association of trends in charcoal-burning suicide with Google search and newspaper reporting in Taiwan: a time series analysis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, v. 50, n. 9, p. 1451-1461, set. 2015.
FOND, G. et al. Google Trends: Ready for real-time suicide prevention or just a Zeta-Jones effect? An exploratory study. Psychiatry Res, v. 228, n. 3, p. 913-917, 30 ago. 2015.
GOOGLE. Perguntas frequentes sobre os dados do Google Trends. Mountain View: Google, 2021. Disponível em: https://support.google.com/trends/answer/4365533?hl=de&ref_topic=6248052. Acesso em: 09 abr. 2021.
GUNN III, J. F.; GOLDSTEIN, S. E.; LESTER, D. The Impact of Widely Publicized Suicides on Search Trends: Using Google Trends to Test the Werther and Papageno Effects. Arch Suicide Res, v. 24, supl. 1, p. 142-155, 2020.
HAGIHARA, A.; MIYAZAKI, S.; ABE, T. Internet suicide searches and the incidence of suicide in young people in Japan. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, v. 262, n. 1, p. 39-46, fev. 2012.
HARRIS, K. M.; MCLEAN, J. P.; SHEFFIELD, J. Examining suicide-risk individuals who go online for suicide-related purposes. Arch Suicide Res, v. 13, n. 3, p. 264-276, 2009.
JIMENEZ, A.; SANTED-GERMÁN, M. A.; RAMOS, V. Google Searches and Suicide Rates in Spain, 2004-2013: Correlation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill, v. 6, n. 2, e10919, 13 abr. 2020.
KNIPE, D. et al. Mapping population mental health concerns related to COVID-19 and the consequences of physical distancing: a Google trends analysis. Wellcome Open Res, v. 5, p. 82, 10 jun. 2020.
LEE, J. Y. Search trends preceding increases in suicide: A cross-correlation study of monthly Google search volume and suicide rate using transfer function models. J Affect Disord, v. 262, p. 155-164, 1 fev. 2020.
LOH, K. K.; KANAI, R. How Has the Internet Reshaped Human Cognition? Neuroscientist, v. 22, n. 5, p. 506-520, out. 2016.
LOVISI, Giovanni Marcos et al. Análise epidemiológica do suicídio no Brasil entre 1980 e 2006. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, v. 31, n. 2, p. S86-S93, 2009.
MA-KELLAMS, C. et al. Rethinking Suicide Surveillance: Google Search Data and Self-Reported Suicidality Differentially Estimate Completed Suicide Risk. Clinical Psychological Science, v. 4, n. 3, p. 480-484, 2016.
MARGARIDO, M. A. Modelos de Séries Temporais: Uma introdução com aplicações práticas. 1. ed. [S.l.]: Independently Published, 2020.
MCCARTHY, M. J. Internet monitoring of suicide risk in the population. J Affect Disord, v. 122, n. 3, p. 277-279, mai. 2010.
MINAYO, Maria Cecília de Souza et al. Tendência da mortalidade por suicídio na população brasileira e idosa, 1980-2006. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 46, n. 2, p. 300-309, 2012.
MORAHAN-MARTINA, J.; SCHUMACHERB, P. Loneliness and social uses of the Internet. Computers in Human Behavior, v. 19, p. 659-671, 2003.
NIEDERKROTENTHALER, T. et al. Role of media reports in completed and prevented suicide: Werther v. Papageno effects. Br J Psychiatry, v. 197, n. 3, p. 234-243, set. 2010.
NUTI, S. V. et al. The use of google trends in health care research: a systematic review. PLoS One, v. 9, n. 10, e109583, 22 out. 2014.
ORGANIZAÇÃO MUNDIAL DE SAÚDE. Suicide. Key Facts. Genebra: OMS, 2019. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide. Acesso em: 09 abr. 2021.
ORTIZ, S. N. et al. Changes in Internet Suicide Search Volumes Following Celebrity Suicides. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw, v. 22, n. 6, p. 373-380, jun. 2019.
PAUL, E.; MERGL, R.; HEGERL, U. Has information on suicide methods provided via the Internet negatively impacted suicide rates? PLoS One, v. 12, n. 12, e0190136, 28 dez. 2017.
PHILLIPS, D. P. The influence of suggestion on suicide: substantive and theoretical implications of the Werther effect. Am Sociol Rev, v. 39, n. 3, p. 340-354, 1974.
REGER, M. A.; STANLEY, I. H.; JOINER, T. E. Suicide Mortality and Coronavirus Disease 2019-A Perfect Storm? JAMA Psychiatry, v. 77, n. 11, p. 1093-1094, 1 nov. 2020.
STATCOUNTER. Statcounter Global Stats. Dublin: StatCounter, 1999-2017. Disponível em: http://gs.statcounter.com/#search_engine-ww-yearly-2009-2021-bar. Acesso em: 07 jun. 2021.
SINYOR, M.; SPITTAL, M. J.; NIEDERKROTENTHALER, T. Changes in Suicide and Resilience-related Google Searches during the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Can J Psychiatry, v. 65, n. 10, p. 741-743, out. 2020.
SORENI, N. et al. Seasonality Patterns of Internet Searches on Mental Health: Exploratory Infodemiology Study. JMIR Ment Health, v. 6, n. 4, e12974, 24 abr. 2019.
SOLANO, P. et al. Google-based approach for monitoring suicide risk. Psychiatry Res, v. 246, p. 581-586, 30 dez. 2016.
SUEKI, H. Does the volume of Internet searches using suicide-related search terms influence the suicide death rate: data from 2004 to 2009 in Japan. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, v. 65, n. 4, p. 392-394, jun. 2011.
THORNTON, L. et al. Is A Person Thinking About Suicide Likely to Find Help on the Internet? An Evaluation of Google Search Results. Suicide Life Threat Behav, v. 47, n. 1, p. 48-53, fev. 2017.
TRAN, U. S. et al. Low validity of Google Trends for behavioral forecasting of national suicide rates. PLoS One, v. 12, n. 8, e0183149, 16 ago. 2017.
WASZAK, P. M. et al. Internet searches for "suicide", its association with epidemiological data and insights for prevention programs. Psychiatr Danub, v. 30, n. 4, p. 404-409, dez. 2018.
WESTERLUND, M.; HADLACZKY, G.; WASSERMAN, D. The representation of suicide on the Internet: implications for clinicians. J Med Internet Res, v. 14, n. 5, e122, 26 set. 2012.
A Revista Brasileira de Tecnologias Sociais é uma publicação Qualis B1, de acordo com a classificação Qualis Periódicos CAPES 2017-2020.
A Revista Brasileira de Tecnologias Sociais tem por objetivo disseminar o conhecimento científico por meio de uma publicação semestral, que se caracteriza pelo teor multitemático e interdisciplinar voltado, preferencialmente, à divulgação de trabalhos desenvolvidos pelos Mestrados Profissionais do país, em forma de produtos ou processos que possam ser caracterizados como Tecnologias Sociais. Atualmente os editores são os professores Carlos Roberto Praxedes dos Santos (Gestão de Políticas Públicas) e Graziela Liebel (Saúde e Gestão do Trabalho).
