Association Between Internet Searches Related to Suicide/Self-harm and Adolescent Suicide Death in South Korea in 2016-2020: Secondary Data Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies have investigated the association between suicide and internet search volumes of terms related to suicide or self-harm. However, the results varied by people's age, period, and country, and no study has exclusively investigated suicide or self-harm rates among adolescents.

Objective

This study aims to determine the association between the internet search volumes of terms related to suicide/self-harm and the number of suicides among South Korean adolescents. We investigated gender differences in this association and the time lag between the internet search volumes of the terms and the connected suicide deaths.

Methods

We selected 26 search terms related to suicide and self-harm among South Korean adolescents, and the search volumes of these

SUBMITTER: Choi WS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10160929 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature