Introduction: The demand for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, particularly cold remedies, antitussives, and analgesics, has become indispensable in daily life. The easy accessibility of OTC drugs has led to their becoming a significant public health challenge, especially among the younger population. Notably, OTC drug abuse has increased significantly in recent years in Japan, where digital platforms have demonstrated a substantial influence on inappropriate medication use. This study investigates trends in online search behavior related to overdoses in Japan using infodemiological methods. Methods: Monthly search volumes for specific queries were obtained from Yahoo! JAPAN, one of the predominant search engines in Japan. Data were sourced from the Yahoo! Japan DS INSIGHT server. We tracked the search volumes for the term “overdose” from 2020 to the most recent date. Additionally, we conducted analyses of sequential search patterns before and after overdose-related queries. Results: Search volume data demonstrated annual increases for “overdose” queries were 89,800 in 2020, 158,000 in 2021, 245,000 in 2022, and 448,000 in 2023. Temporal analysis of search patterns in 2023 data, examining queries one week before and after searching for “overdose,” revealed a notable increase in searches related to self-harm and suicide. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate exponential growth in overdose-related online searches related to overdoses in Japan, particularly in recent years. These findings also indicate a potential link between increased interest in overdoses and concerns about self-harm and suicide. These results underscore the importance of surveillance of digital search behaviors in detecting emerging patterns of substance abuse and mental health issues. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying factors driving this increase and to develop evidence-based interventions for overdose prevention and mental health promotion.
Eguchi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.