“Dr. Google, I am in Pain”—Global Internet Searches Associated with Pain: A Retrospective Analysis of Google Trends Data

Kamińśki, Mikołaj; Łoniewski, Igor; Marlicz, Wojciech

doi:10.3390/ijerph17030954

Cited by 35 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The data collection and followed processing protocols used are described in previous studies. 24,25 GT presents search statistics for a given search term in the chosen timeframe and region (trends.google.com/ trends/). The search volume is presented as an index called relative search volume (RSV) ranged between 0-100.…”

Section: Data From Google Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

<p>Googling on Colonoscopy: A Retrospective Analysis of Search Engine Statistics</p>

Kamińśki¹,

Marlicz²,

Koulaouzidis³

2020

CEG

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Purpose: Colonoscopy is a gold standard for screening and diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The data from the search engine may reveal what information on coloscopy gains the attention of Internet users. We aimed to investigate Google searches trends and terms related to colonoscopy. Patients and Methods: We retrieved statistics searches related to colonoscopy using Google Trends (GT) and Google Ads (GA) for the period from April 2016 to March 2020. The GT data was used for the analysis of time and regional search patterns worldwide. GA data for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand (NZ), Poland, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) were used to calculate the search volume of categories of queries related to colonoscopy. Results: Globally, the relative search volume on colonoscopy has increased until the COVID-19 outbreak and revealed seasonal variation: the highest interest was observed in March (CRC awareness month), and the lowest during December (Christmas holidays). The highest number of searches per 1000 Google users-years was done in Poland (59.62) and the lowest in the UK (19.46). Most commonly, Google users searched for details on colonoscopy techniques (Australia, Canada, Ireland, NZ), anesthesia during the procedure (Poland), facility performing colonoscopy (UK, US). In all seven countries, less than 2% of queries concerned with bowel preparation before the procedure. Conclusion: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest in colonoscopy has increased among Google users. Google users may underestimate the importance of proper bowel preparation.

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Section: Data From Google Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

<p>Googling on Colonoscopy: A Retrospective Analysis of Search Engine Statistics</p>

Kamińśki¹,

Marlicz²,

Koulaouzidis³

2020

CEG

Self Cite

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“…The Internet has become an essential source of health-related information as the number of search queries has been rising continuously for many years [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Not only for people who have some symptoms and want to inform themselves prior to consulting a physician, but also for patients seeking for further information like treatment options [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Dr. Google, What Is That on My Skin?’—Internet Searches Related to Skin Problems: Google Trends Data from 2004 to 2019

Kamińśki¹,

Tizek

Zink

2021

IJERPH

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The Internet is a common source of health information as search engines propose websites that should answer users’ queries. The study aimed to investigate the search behavior of Google users related to skin clinical signs as well as to analyze their geographical, secular, and seasonal patterns. The data of Google Trends was used to analyze the number of Google searches related to skin problems from January 2004 to December 2019. Thirty-four topics representing dermatologic complaints were identified. The interests of all topics were calculated in proportion to the Relative Search Volume (RSV) of ‘Scar’. Geographical patterns as well as secular and seasonal trends were analyzed. Countries with few users who searched for skin problems were excluded from the analysis. Globally, gaining the most attention were ‘Itch’ proportion to RSV of ‘Itch’ (2.21), ‘Hair loss’ (1.56), ‘Skin rash’ (1.38), ‘Perspiration’ (1.32), and ‘Scar’ (1.00). In 42 of the 65 analyzed countries, ‘Itch’ was the most popular topic, followed by ‘Hair loss’ (n = 7), and ‘Pustule’ (n = 6). The RSV of all topics increases over time, with ‘Comedo’ (5.15 RSV/year), ‘Itch’ (4.83 RSV/year), and ‘Dandruff’ (4.66 RSV/year) being the most dynamic ones. For 23 topics, the highest interest was noted during warm months. Considering skin manifestations, Google users are mainly interested in itch, hair loss, and skin rash. An increasing number of individuals worldwide seem to use Google as a source of health information for dermatological clinical signs during the study period.

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“…This study did not require ethical committee approval. The methods we used come from previous studies [18,19].…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Google is the most popular search engine globally, used by 80-90% of web users [14]. The analysis of Google queries is a novel method for predicting future infectious diseases outbreaks [15,16], assessing disease awareness [17], relative prevalence of different types of pain [18], as well as popularity of diets [19]. The analysis of searches related to dietary supplements may reveal what ingredients generate the most interest, and how this interest changes over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of the Popularity of Dietary Supplements Using Google Search Rankings

2020

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The internet provides access to information about dietary supplements and allows their easy purchase. We aimed to rank the interest of Google users in dietary supplements and to determine the changes that occurred in their popularity from 2004 to 2019. We used Google Trends to generate data over time on regional interest in dietary supplements (n = 200). We categorized each included supplement and calculated the interest in all topics in proportion to the relative search volume (RSV) of “lutein”. We analyzed the trends over time of all topics and categories. Globally, the topics with the highest popularity were “magnesium”, which was 23.72 times more popular than “lutein”, “protein” (15.22 times more popular), and “iron” (15.12). The categories of supplements receiving most interest were protein (9.64), mineral (5.24), and vitamin (3.47). The RSV of seven categories of topics (amino acid, bacterial, botanical, fiber, mineral, protein, and vitamin) increased over time while two categories (enzyme and fat or fatty acid) saw a drop in their RSV. Overall, 119 topics saw an increase in interest over time, 19 remained stable, and 62 saw interest in them decrease. Google Trends provides insights into e-discourse and enables analysis of the differences in popularity of certain topics across countries and over time.

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“Dr. Google, I am in Pain”—Global Internet Searches Associated with Pain: A Retrospective Analysis of Google Trends Data

Cited by 35 publications

References 57 publications

<p>Googling on Colonoscopy: A Retrospective Analysis of Search Engine Statistics</p>

<p>Googling on Colonoscopy: A Retrospective Analysis of Search Engine Statistics</p>

‘Dr. Google, What Is That on My Skin?’—Internet Searches Related to Skin Problems: Google Trends Data from 2004 to 2019

Determination of the Popularity of Dietary Supplements Using Google Search Rankings

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