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Aims: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may have detrimental mental health consequences. However, there is limited understanding of its impact on the mental health of the general population. The aim of this study was to examine the mental health of the Japanese general population by conducting the first systematic survey during the pandemic with a particular focus on identifying the most vulnerable groups. Methods: Data was obtained from an online commercial web panel of 2000 respondents in April and May 2020. Information was collected on demographic and socioeconomic factors as well as mental health status (anxiety and depressive symptoms). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations. Results: The mental health of young and middle-aged individuals was significantly worse than that of older individuals during the pandemic. There was also some indication that individuals who were not currently working were significantly more likely to report a high level of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Part-time and temporary contract-based workers were also more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms.

Objectives To examine COVID-19 preventive behaviours among individuals with mental health problems. Study design A pooled cross-sectional study. Methods Online survey data were analyzed from 2000 Japanese adults collected in April and May, 2020. Information was obtained on 13 COVID-19 preventive behaviours, and anxiety and depressive symptoms using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations. Results In models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, anxiety (Coefficient: -0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.30,-0.24) and depressive symptoms (Coefficient: -0.82, 95%CI: -1.34,-0.30) were both associated with significantly lower engagement in COVID-19 preventive behaviours. Conclusion Our results highlight the importance of facilitating the performance of preventive behaviours in individuals with mental health problems to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in this population.

An online questionnaire (n = 301) was conducted to analyze the cross-cultural influence of the use of suicide bulletin board systems. Factor analysis demonstrated that participants had two types of motives: the constructive motive of mutual help and the destructive motive of suicide preparation. The results showed that suicidal thoughts did not worsen with suicide bulletin board systems usage, and there is no difference in the demographic data, motives of the participants, and the effects of the suicide message boards between Japan and Germany.

BackgroundThere has been no study that has allowed clear conclusions about the impact of suicide-related or mental health consultation-related internet use.AimTo investigate the impacts of suicide-related or mental health consultation-related internet use.MethodsWe conducted prospective observational longitudinal study with data collection at baseline screening (T0), 1 week after T0 (T1) and 7 weeks after T0 (T2). Participants with a stratified random sampling from 744,806 internet users were 20–49 years of age who employed the internet for suicide-related or mental health consultation-related reasons and internet users who did not. The main outcome was suicidal ideation. Secondary outcome measures comprised hopelessness, depression/anxiety, and loneliness.ResultsThe internet users who had employed the internet for suicide-related or mental health consultation-related reasons at T0 (n = 2813), compared with those who had not (n = 2682), showed a significant increase in suicidal ideation (β = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.20–0.55) and depression/anxiety (β = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.12–0.61) from T1 to T2. Those who disclosed their own suicidal ideation and browsed for information about suicide methods on the web showed increased suicidal ideation (β = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.23–0.88; β = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26–0.63, respectively). Although mental health consultation with an anonymous other online did not increase suicidal ideation, increased depression/anxiety was observed (β = 0.34, 95%CI: −0.03–0.71).ConclusionsAn increased suicidal ideation was observed in the young and middle-aged who employed the internet for suicide-related or mental health consultation-related reasons. Mental health consultation via the internet was not useful, but those who did so showed worsened depression/anxiety.

Cross-correlation was examined for the volume of suicide-related Internet searches and suicide death rate. Analysis of Google data and figures released by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare indicated that the volume of searches using the search terms jisatsu (suicide) and jisatsu houhou (suicide method) are not correlated with the suicide death rate. In addition, a rising suicide death rate might be related to the increase in suicide-related search activity (particularly utsu [depression]), but an increase in suicide-related search activity itself is not directly linked to the rise of suicide death rate. While an earlier meta-analysis highlighted the influence of the media on suicide, 1 the Internet has caused cluster suicides in a manner identical to that by other media such as television and newspapers. In 2008, suicide using hydrogen sulfide -a method introduced over the Internet -involved more than 1000 people. In the early 2000s, the so-called Internet suicide pacts, which are essentially group suicides committed by people who become acquainted with each other over the Internet, occurred frequently. Thus, penetration of the Internet into society might increase cluster suicide.In contrast, some researchers have suggested that the Internet provides resources for suicide prevention and support.2,3 For example, self-help group activities mediated through Web communities are made available by people who have contemplated suicide. Therefore, the Internet can be effective in both encouraging and preventing suicides. Regarding the suicide-related use of the Internet, the use of search engines can be an indicator of the present situation. Hitherto, the results of several studies have indicated that the volume of searches using suicide-related search terms is positively correlated with the suicide death rate. 4,5 None of those studies, however, have clarified the causal relationship between search volume and suicide death rate. It is possible to interpret the situation in either of two ways: either searches using suicide-related terms influence the suicide death rate, or the increasing number of suicide deaths raises people's interest in suicides, which leads to an increase in search volumes. Therefore, in order to examine these two opposing hypotheses, the present study examined the cross-correlation coefficient between the volumes of searches involving suicide-related search terms and the suicide death rate.

Since suicide-related Internet use can adversely influence the mental health of young adults, it is necessary to take measures to reduce their exposure to such information.