Improving research methods for the study of geography and mental health: Utilization of social networking data and the ESRI GeoEvent Processor

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on geography and mental health, report on a case example using new methods for studying this topic, and provide recommendations for future research. Over 25 years ago, Holley (1988) conducted a review of the literature on geography and mental health and astutely stated, ‘… it is surprising that geographic study designs … have not received greater attention as an important and viable method of assessing population mental health’ (p. 535). In 1997, Parr echoed a similar statement, indicating that little has been researched on this topic and suggested this area be termed ‘geography of mental health’. Decades later, these statements still hold true – researchers have given little attention to the intersection of geography and mental health. Yet, there is great potential for this research to expand in a way that may be of great benefit to those studying mental health as well as the many suffering with mental health problems. In this aricle, a case example is provided to demonstrate the possibilities of utilizing current technologies, Twitter and the ESRI GeoEvent Processor, to expand the methods for research on this topic.