title: Information-Seeking on the Internet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Internet is used by young people at risk of self-harm to communicate, find information, and obtain support.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to identify and analyze websites potentially accessed by these young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six search terms, relating to self-harm/suicide and depression, were input into four search engines. Websites were analyzed for access, content/purpose, and tone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 314 websites were included in the analysis. Most could be accessed without restriction. Sites accessed by self-harm/suicide search terms were mostly positive or preventive in tone, whereas sites accessed by the term ways to kill yourself tended to have a negative tone. Information about self-harm methods was common with specific advice on how to self-harm in 15.8% of sites, encouragement of self-harm in 7.0%, and evocative images of self-harm/suicide in 20.7%. Advice on how to get help was given in 56.1% of sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Websites relating to suicide or self-harm are easily accessed. Many sites are potentially helpful. However, a significant proportion of sites are potentially harmful through normalizing or encouraging self-harm. Enquiry regarding Internet use should be routinely included while assessing young people at risk.
authors.affiliation: 1 Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singaravelu
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simkin
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawton
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D003863:Depression; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D057386:Search Engine; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D013405:Suicide
keywords: Internet; adolescents; self-harm; suicide; websites