A study on information search for mental health treatment after the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic heightened stress, depression and anxiety, prompting healthcare consumers in South Korea to actively seek mental health information online. This study aims to analyze frequently searched keywords through text mining and examined their associations. Results showed that “anxiety” and “depression” were the most central terms, while searches for “health and welfare centers” were also prominent. Consumers showed a stronger preference for “counseling” over “treatment” in addressing mental health concerns. These findings highlight the importance of promoting counseling as an effective strategy for managing anxiety and depression and provide insight into consumers’ postpandemic information seeking behavior. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to identify the keywords most frequently searched by healthcare consumers in South Korea in relation to mental health following the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze the relative importance of these keywords. This study used a text mining approach to analyze data generated by healthcare consumers in South Korea who sought information to address mental health concerns following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected and preprocessed from multiple online sources including news articles, Web documents, online communities, blogs and Facebook covering the period from May 11, 2023, to December 31, 2024. Findings The text mining analysis revealed that “anxiety” and “depression” emerged as the most important and central keywords among South Korean healthcare consumers. In addition, the findings indicated that consumers frequently searched for “health and welfare centers,” and that they preferred addressing mental health issues through “counseling” rather than “treatment.” Originality/value Health and welfare centers, established to support individuals experiencing mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, have launched campaigns to assist those unable to access treatment due to financial constraints. These findings suggest that additional campaigns targeting healthcare consumers in South Korea who engage in information seeking behaviors are needed. Furthermore, the results highlight that “counseling,” rather than “treatment,” may serve as a more effective approach in addressing their mental health concerns.