Using Google Trends to investigate global COPD awareness. Issue 2 (8th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Chan-Na; Wu, Qian; Pan, Hai-Feng
• Is Part Of: European respiratory journal. Volume 54:Issue 2(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-08-08
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01076-2019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-1936

Abstract

We read the recent article published in the European Respiratory Journal by Boehm et al. [1] with great interest: their study is the first to explore global chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) awareness using Google searches. Currently, with the development of the internet and search engines, Google Trends has emerged as a robust tool to investigate the interest of the general population in medical conditions [2–4]. In the study by Boehm et al. [1], it was found that the awareness of COPD in the real world is rising, while it is highly under-represented in the public interest compared with other common conditions. In addition, public interest in seeking COPD information through Google searches presented a seasonal pattern, with peaks in the first and the fourth quarter of the year. These findings may help to improve programmes to guide interventions for COPD and contribute to the development of preventative healthcare for this disease. Google Trends provides new evidence for public interest and seasonal patterns in COPD http://bit.ly/2xsGbIE