COVID-19 blues: Lockdowns and mental health-related google searches in Latin America.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Stress process theory considers that actual and perceived isolation, caused by mobility restrictions from attempted containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, deteriorates mental health.

Objective

We examine the relationship between the COVID-19 lockdowns and mental health-related Google searches in 11 Latin American countries. We include the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. We also explore how changes in search patterns relate to income support policies and to COVID-19 death rates.

Method

Using Google Trends data and an event-study design, as well as a difference-in-differences analysis, we investigate the association between country specific stay-at-home orders and inter

SUBMITTER: Silverio-Murillo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9756426 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature