An infodemiological study using search engine query data to explore the temporal variations of depression in Finland

Authors

• Jonas Tana

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.60778

Keywords:

depression, search engine, information seeking behavior, consumer health information, technology

Abstract

A majority of healthcare is undertaken by individuals without the involvement or knowledge of healthcare professionals. People often try to treat health problems themselves, often first consulting the Internet, with search engines as natural starting points. Health information seeking conducted in search engines generate big data, data that can provide valuable insights into patterns of symptoms and disease, especially for stigmatizing or sensitive health topics, like mental health problems. The aim of this article is to utilize search engine query data for trends and temporal variations of depression in Finland. The key findings of this study show that depression related Internet search query volumes are slightly increasing during the time periods studied. The results also show that search query volumes follow seasonal patterns with peaks during autumn and spring and troughs during the summer months and mid-winter. Of all weekdays, Sundays have the highest search volume for depression related queries. These results present new meaningful insights into the epidemiology of depression, as it can give insights into the part of the population that does not present for treatment or professional help. It can also help health professionals and other officials to understand broader patterns of mental illness when planning services and campaigns.