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.
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The Brazilian Journal of Social Technologies is a Qualis B1 publication, according to the Qualis Periódicos CAPES 2017-2020 classification.
The Brazilian Journal of Social Technologies aims to disseminate scientific knowledge through a biannual publication, which is characterized by multithematic and interdisciplinary content aimed, preferably, at the dissemination of work developed by the country's Professional Master's Degrees, in the form of products or processes that can be characterized as Social Technologies. Currently the editors are professors Carlos Roberto Praxedes dos Santos (Public Policy Management) and Graziela Liebel (Health and Work Management).
