Abstract

Not only have COVID-19 social distancing and quarantining measures transformed today’s society, but they have also exacerbated the mental health crisis in the United States. Understanding fear-induced responses and coping mechanisms due to unprecedented global events, such as the COVID-19 Pandemic, can enable health care providers to address their psychological impact and prepare appropriate treatment regimes. Despite numerous epidemic data platforms tracking COVID-19 fatalities, there is a limited understanding of Americans’ mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study investigates and quantifies the correlation between U.S. COVID-19 fatality rates over time and fear-related Google search terms by utilizing Google Trends and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Tracker. Furthermore, in order to determine context-specific relationships between Google search terms and U.S. COVID-19 fatalities, a graphical analysis will be conducted to assess the data visually. Ultimately, this experiment provides insight on the psychological impact of highly stressful events, especially future global health events similar to the COVID-19 Pandemic