title: Using google searches on the internet to monitor suicidal behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent research in Japan and Taiwan has found that the volume of Internet searches each month on Google for suicide-related terms is sometimes associated with the monthly suicide rate. The present study sought to examine whether this association between suicide rates and Google searches for suicide are found over regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suicide rates in the state of America in 2009 were examined for their association with search volume on Google for "commit suicide," "how to suicide" and "suicide prevention."
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suicide rates for the 50 American states were positively associated with the search volume for all three terms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internet searches for suicide may provide a faster way of monitoring possible trends in suicide than waiting for central governments to compile suicide statistics.
authors.affiliation: The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, USA
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States