Jacobson N, Lekkas D, Price G, et al. (2020). Flattening the mental health curve: COVID-19 stay-at-home orders result in alterations in mental health search behavior in the United States. PsyArXiv. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/24v5b
Researchers examined the impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on mental health-related Google search behavior in 11 U.S. states and Washington D.C, compared with the 39 states that had not yet issued stay-at-home orders as of March 23, 2020. Using mixed model analysis of hourly Google Trends data from over 10 million geolocated Google searches for 19 terms associated with mental health symptoms, researchers quantified changes in mental health-related search volume before and after issuance of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Approximately four days prior to issuance of stay-at-home orders in 11 states and Washington D.C., Google searches related to specific mental health symptoms surged (e.g., suicidal ideation, anxiety, negative thoughts, and sleep disturbances (12 of the 19 search terms examined in the study). Announcement of stay-at-home orders in 11 states and Washington D.C. appeared to immediately flatten the curve (i.e., induce non-linear change) of search volume for the 12 search terms related to suicidal ideation, anxiety, negative thoughts, and sleep disturbances (largest effect on suicidal ideation and anxiety). The flattening effect of stay-at-home orders on volume of Google searches appeared unique to mental health-related searches. Results suggest stay-at-home orders may have stabilized the volume of Google searches related to suicidal ideation, anxiety, negative thoughts, and sleep disturbances. Stay-at-home orders may also have had a short-term protective effect against COVID-19-induced exacerbation of mental health symptoms. Future research could determine whether the observed plateau of mental health-related searches continued through the duration of stay-at-home orders and the long-term mental health effects of COVID-19 and governmental responses to COVID-19.