Examining the Relationship Between Past Orientation and US Suicide Rates: An Analysis Using Big Data-Driven Google Search Queries

Abstract

BackgroundInternet search query data reflect the attitudes of the users, using which we can measure the past orientation to commit suicide. Examinations of past orientation often highlight certain predispositions of attitude, many of which can be suicide risk factors.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between past orientation and suicide rate by examining Google search queries.MethodsWe measured the past orientation using Google search query data by comparing the search volumes of the past year and those of the future year, across the 50 US states and the District of Columbia during the period from 2004 to 2012. We constructed a panel dataset with independent variables as control variables; we then undertook an analysis using multiple ordinary least squares regression and methods that leverage the Akaike information criterion and the Bayesian information criterion.ResultsIt was found that past orientation had a positive relationship with the suicide rate (P≤.001) and that it improves the goodness-of-fit of the model regarding the suicide rate. Unemployment rate (P≤.001 in Models 3 and 4), Gini coefficient (P≤.001), and population growth rate (P≤.001) had a positive relationship with the suicide rate, whereas the gross state product (P≤.001) showed a negative relationship with the suicide rate.ConclusionsWe empirically identified the positive relationship between the suicide rate and past orientation, which was measured by big data-driven Google search query.

Using Deep Learning Techniques to Forecast Environmental Consumption Level

“…They explained that search query data can be a new indicator of household consumption because it is more closely related to individual consumption decisions than the market propensity index provided in the survey. Meanwhile, Lee et al [22] measured past orientation using search queries on Google Trend. They also investigated the relationship between unemployment, the Gini coefficient, the population growth rate, gross state product (GSP), past orientation, and the suicide rate.…”

“…They measured this index as the ratio of number of Google search queries for past years to number of Google search queries for future years. Lee et al [22] also used a past orientation index using search queries on Google Trend. Therefore, we use search queries on Google Trend to measure past orientation, as suggested by Lee et al [22] and Preis et al [55], in order to predict the pro-environmental consumption index.…”

YENİ BİR VERİ KAYNAĞI OLARAK GOOGLE TRENDS: GELECEK YÖNELİMİ ENDEKSİ İLE İLGİLİ BİR DEĞERLENDİRME / Google Trends As A New Data Source: An Evaluation Of The Future Orientation Index

“…All the results show a significant correlation (Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.53, 0.64, 0.78, respectively) (Preis et al, 2012). Other scholars investigated the relation between FOI and suicide statistics (Lee et al, 2016), tax-related indicators (Petutschnig, 2017) and welfare-related indicators (Shepard and Turner, 2019).…”

Determinants of Pro-Environmental Consumption: Multicountry Comparison Based upon Big Data Search

“…Therefore, we expected that the correlation between past orientation and the pro-environmental consumption index would be negative. This study uses the measurement method suggested by Lee, Lee and Choi [50] and search queries to quantify past and future orientations in view of the percentage search volume on past and future years.…”

“…A past orientation on a national level could have adverse effects on pro-environmental consumption. Lee, Lee and Choi [50] highlighted a statistically significant relationship between past orientation and suicide rates, suggesting that people's perception or cognition regarding time points is an important factor impacting their behavior; such behaviors affected by this orientation could include pro-environmental consumption as well as suicide.…”