OBJECTIVE: We used Google Trends to explore online health information seeking patterns for mpox in endemic and nonendemic countries and investigated the impact of the publication of the first in-country case on internet search volume.
METHODS: Google Trends is a publicly accessible and free data source that aggregates worldwide Google search data. Google search data were used as a surrogate measure of online health information seeking for 178 days between February 18 and August 18, 2022. Searching data were downloaded across this time period for nonendemic countries with the highest case count (United States, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, and France) and 5 endemic countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Central African Republic, and Cameroon). Joinpoint regression analysis was used to measure changes in searching trends for mpox preceding and following the announcement of the first human case.
RESULTS: Online health information seeking significantly increased after the publication of the first case in all the nonendemic countries-United States, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, and France, as illustrated by significant joinpoint regression models. Joinpoint analysis revealed that models with 3 significant joinpoints were the most appropriate fit for these data, where the first joinpoint represents the initial rise in mpox searching trend, the second joinpoint reflects the start of the decrease in the mpox searching trend, and the third joinpoint represents searching trends\' return to searching levels prior to the first case announcement. Although this model was also found in 2 endemic countries (ie, Ghana and Nigeria), it was not found in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, or Cameroon.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate a surge in online heath information seeking relating to mpox after the first in-country case was publicized in all the nonendemic countries and in Ghana and Nigeria among the endemic counties. The observed increases in mpox searching levels are characterized by sharp but short-lived periods of searching before steep declines back to levels observed prior to the publication of the first case. These findings emphasize the importance of the provision of accurate, relevant online public health information during disease outbreaks. However, online health information seeking behaviors only occur for a short time period, and the provision of accurate information needs to be timely in relation to the publication of new case-related information.
目的:我们使用Google趋势来探索在流行和非流行国家寻找水痘的在线健康信息模式,并调查了第一个国内病例的发布对互联网搜索量的影响。
方法:Google趋势是一个可公开访问的免费数据源,可聚合全球Google搜索数据。谷歌搜索数据被用作2022年2月18日至8月18日寻求178天的在线健康信息的替代指标。在这段时间内下载了病例数最高的非流行国家的搜索数据(美国,西班牙,德国,英国,和法国)和5个流行国家(刚果民主共和国,尼日利亚,加纳,中非共和国,和喀麦隆)。Joinpoint回归分析用于测量在第一个人类病例宣布之前和之后的水痘搜索趋势的变化。
结果:在所有非流行国家-美国发布首例病例后,在线健康信息搜索显着增加,西班牙,德国,英国,和法国,如显著的连接点回归模型所示。Joinpoint分析显示,具有3个显著连接点的模型是这些数据的最合适拟合,其中第一个连接点代表了水痘搜索趋势的初始上升,第二个连接点反映了水痘搜索趋势下降的开始,第三个连接点表示搜索趋势\'返回到第一个案例公告之前的搜索级别。虽然这种模式也在2个流行国家发现(即,加纳和尼日利亚),在中非共和国没有发现,刚果民主共和国,或者喀麦隆。
结论:研究结果表明,在所有非地方病国家以及加纳和尼日利亚的地方病县公布了第一个国内病例后,寻求与水痘相关的在线健康信息激增。观察到的水痘搜索水平的增加的特征在于搜索的急剧但短暂的时间,然后急剧下降回到第一个病例发表之前观察到的水平。这些发现强调了提供准确、疾病暴发期间的相关在线公共卫生信息。然而,在线健康信息寻求行为只发生在短时间内,在发布新的案件相关信息时,需要及时提供准确的信息。