Online Public Interest in Urological Cancers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Can "Dr. Google" Teach Us?
Cancer
Coronavirus
Google Trends
Mass media
Public opinion
Urology
Journal
European urology open science
ISSN: 2666-1683
Titre abrégé: Eur Urol Open Sci
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101771568
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2022
Mar 2022
Historique:
accepted:
07
01
2022
pubmed:
25
1
2022
medline:
25
1
2022
entrez:
24
1
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly affected health care priorities. To explore and analyse trends in public online search for urological cancers. We performed a retrospective analysis using the Google Health Trends online tool. Data related to urological cancer terms ("prostate cancer", "kidney cancer", and "bladder cancer") were extracted. We analysed trends for the whole world and for five countries: Italy, the UK, France, Sweden, and the USA. A join-point regression model was used to define significant changes in trends over time. Week percentage changes (WPCs) were estimated to summarise linear trends. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the search volume during the COVID-19 pandemic period (from January 2020 to April 2021) and the equivalent period of 2018 and 2019. During COVID-19, worldwide online interest decreased significantly for all urological cancers, especially prostate cancer (WPC: -13.9%, Online interest in urological cancers decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies will tell us whether this will translate into worse oncological outcomes. Patients are increasingly searching the Internet to get information on cancer. We explored Google queries during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that online interest decreased significantly for all urological cancers, especially prostate cancer. We do not know yet whether this will translate into worse prognosis for patients.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly affected health care priorities.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
To explore and analyse trends in public online search for urological cancers.
DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis using the Google Health Trends online tool. Data related to urological cancer terms ("prostate cancer", "kidney cancer", and "bladder cancer") were extracted. We analysed trends for the whole world and for five countries: Italy, the UK, France, Sweden, and the USA.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
METHODS
A join-point regression model was used to define significant changes in trends over time. Week percentage changes (WPCs) were estimated to summarise linear trends. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the search volume during the COVID-19 pandemic period (from January 2020 to April 2021) and the equivalent period of 2018 and 2019.
RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS
CONCLUSIONS
During COVID-19, worldwide online interest decreased significantly for all urological cancers, especially prostate cancer (WPC: -13.9%,
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Online interest in urological cancers decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies will tell us whether this will translate into worse oncological outcomes.
PATIENT SUMMARY
RESULTS
Patients are increasingly searching the Internet to get information on cancer. We explored Google queries during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that online interest decreased significantly for all urological cancers, especially prostate cancer. We do not know yet whether this will translate into worse prognosis for patients.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35072118
doi: 10.1016/j.euros.2022.01.002
pii: S2666-1683(22)00016-7
pmc: PMC8761543
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
73-79Informations de copyright
© 2022 The Author(s).
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