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Watkins L, Henning O, Bassett P, Ashby S, Tromans S, Shankar R. Epilepsy professionals' views on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy counselling: A tale of two countries. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16375. [PMID: 38837829 PMCID: PMC11295158 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of epilepsy mortality. All international guidance strongly advocates for clinicians working with people with epilepsy (PWE) to discuss SUDEP. Clinician views working with PWE in the UK and Norway on SUDEP counselling are compared. METHODS A cross-sectional online mixed methodology survey of 17 Likert and free-text response questions using validated themes was circulated via International League against Epilepsy/Epilepsy Specialist Nurses Association in the UK and International League against Epilepsy/Epilepsinet in Norway using a non-discriminatory exponential snowballing technique leading to non-probability sampling. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Thematic analysis was conducted on free-text responses. RESULTS Of 309 (UK 197, Norway 112) responses, UK clinicians were more likely to have experienced an SUDEP (p < 0.001), put greater importance on SUDEP communication (p < 0.001), discuss SUDEP with all PWE particularly new patients (p < 0.001), have access and refer to bereavement support (p < 0.001) and were less likely to never discuss SUDEP (p < 0.001). Significant differences existed between both countries' neurologists and nurses in SUDEP counselling with UK clinicians generally being more supportive. UK responders were more likely to be able to identify bereavement support (p < 0.001). Thematic analysis highlighted four shared themes and two specific to Norwegians. DISCUSSION Despite all international guidelines stating the need/importance to discuss SUDEP with all PWE there remain hesitation, avoidance and subjectivity in clinicians having SUDEP-related conversations, more so in Norway than the UK. Training and education are required to improve communication, engagement and decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance Watkins
- University of South WalesPontypriddUK
- Swansea Bay University Health BoardPort TalbotUK
- Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER)University of Plymouth Peninsula School of MedicineTruroUK
| | - Oliver Henning
- National Epilepsy CenterOslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | | | | | - Samuel Tromans
- SAPPHIRE Group, Department of Population Health SciencesUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
- Adult Learning Disability ServiceLeicestershire Partnership NHS TrustLeicesterUK
| | - Rohit Shankar
- Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER)University of Plymouth Peninsula School of MedicineTruroUK
- Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER)Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation TrustTruroUK
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Wu Y, Zhang Z, Dong X, Hong S, Hu Y, Liang P, Li L, Zou B, Wu X, Wang D, Chen H, Qiu H, Tang H, Kang K, Li Q, Zhai X. Evaluating the performance of the language model ChatGPT in responding to common questions of people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 151:109645. [PMID: 38244419 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with epilepsy desire to acquire accurate information about epilepsy and actively engage in its management throughout the long journey of living with seizures. ChatGPT is a large language model and we aimed to assess the accuracy and consistency of ChatGPT in responding to the common concerns of people with epilepsy and to evaluate its ability to provide emotional support. METHODS Questions were collected from the International League against Epilepsy and the China Association against Epilepsy. The responses were independently assessed by two board-certified epileptologists from the China Association against Epilepsy, and a third reviewer resolved disagreements. The reviewers assessed its ability to provide emotional support subjectively. RESULTS A total of 378 questions related to epilepsy and 5 questions related to emotional support were included. ChatGPT provided "correct and comprehensive" answers to 68.4% of the questions. The model provided reproducible answers for 82.3% questions. The model performed poorly in answering prognostic questions, with only 46.8% of the answers rated as comprehensive. When faced with questions requiring emotional support, the model can generate natural and understandable responses. SIGNIFICANCE ChatGPT provides accurate and reliable answers to patients with epilepsy and is a valuable source of information. It also provides partial emotional support, potentially assisting those experiencing emotional distress. However, ChatGPT may provide incorrect responses, leading users to inadvertently accept incorrect and potentially dangerous advice. Therefore, the direct use of ChatGPT for medical guidance is not recommended and its primary use at present is in patients education.
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Affiliation(s)
- YuXin Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Zaiyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xinyu Dong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Siqi Hong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Ping Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Lusheng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Bin Zou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xuanxuan Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Difei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Hui Chen
- MEG-Center, University of Tübingen, Germany; Abteilung für Neuronale Dynamik und Magnetoenzephalographie, Hertie-Institut für klinische Hirnforschung, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland.
| | - Hanli Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Haotian Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Kaiyi Kang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Qinling Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xuan Zhai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, China.
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Kim HW, Shin DH, Kim J, Lee GH, Cho JW. Assessing the performance of ChatGPT's responses to questions related to epilepsy: A cross-sectional study on natural language processing and medical information retrieval. Seizure 2024; 114:1-8. [PMID: 38007922 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a neurological condition marked by frequent seizures and various cognitive and psychological effects. Reliable information is essential for effective treatment. Natural language processing models like ChatGPT are increasingly used in healthcare for information access and data analysis, making it crucial to assess their accuracy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of ChatGPT in providing educational information related to epilepsy. METHODS We compared the answers from ChatGPT-4 and ChatGPT-3.5 to 57 common epilepsy questions based on the Korean Epilepsy Society's "Epilepsy Patient and Caregiver Guide." Two epileptologists reviewed the responses, with a third serving as an arbiter in cases of disagreement. RESULTS Out of 57 questions, 40 responses from ChatGPT-4 had "sufficient educational value," 16 were "correct but inadequate," and one was "mixed with correct and incorrect" information. No answers were entirely incorrect. GPT-4 generally outperformed GPT-3.5 and was often on par with or better than the official guide. CONCLUSIONS ChatGPT-4 shows promise as a tool for delivering reliable epilepsy-related information and could help alleviate the educational burden on healthcare professionals. Further research is needed to explore the benefits and limitations of using such models in medical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Woo Kim
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 50612 Geumoro 20, Yangsan, South Korea
| | - Dong-Hyeon Shin
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 50612 Geumoro 20, Yangsan, South Korea
| | - Jiyoung Kim
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan, South Korea
| | - Gha-Hyun Lee
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan, South Korea
| | - Jae Wook Cho
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 50612 Geumoro 20, Yangsan, South Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan, South Korea.
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Roberto KT, Jamora RDG, Moalong KMC, Espiritu AI. Infodemiology of autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune seizures, and autoimmune epilepsy: An analysis of online search behavior using Google Trends. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 132:108730. [PMID: 35623205 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients and their caregivers, including clinicians and educators, use web-based search engines to access healthcare-related information from the internet. Online search behavior analysis has been used to obtain insights on health information demand. OBJECTIVES We aimed to describe the online search behavior for autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune seizures, and autoimmune encephalitis (AE) worldwide over time through the analysis of search volumes made on Google. METHODS In this infodemiological study, we retrieved search volume indices for the keyword "autoimmune encephalitis (search term)", "autoimmune seizures (search term)", and "autoimmune encephalitis (search term)" based on worldwide search data from January 01, 2004 to October 31, 2021, using Google Trends. We performed a descriptive analysis of search volume patterns, including related topics and queries. RESULTS There was a progressive increase in search volume numbers over time for the keyword "autoimmune encephalitis", "autoimmune seizures", and "autoimmune epilepsy" with no annual seasonal variation. Peak search volumes for these keywords were recorded in July 2018, February 2005, December 2012, respectively. The greatest search volume for "autoimmune encephalitis" was recorded in Singapore, followed by Australia, the United States of America, the Philippines, and New Zealand, whereas it was highest in the United States for "autoimmune seizures" and "autoimmune epilepsy". The most searched topics were related to definition, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. All related topics and queries increased in volume by more than 5000-fold over time. CONCLUSIONS This study showed an uptrend in the online search interest on autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune seizures, and autoimmune epilepsy over time, which may reflect the increased awareness of the condition by the public and the medical community. Information on online health information-seeking behavior may be obtained from Google Trends data despite its limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina T Roberto
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines.
| | - Roland Dominic G Jamora
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines; Section of Neurology, Institute for Neurosciences, St. Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City & Global City, Philippines.
| | - Kevin Michael C Moalong
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines.
| | - Adrian I Espiritu
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines; Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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5
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Mondia MWL, Espiritu AI, Jamora RDG. Brain Tumor Infodemiology: Worldwide Online Health-Seeking Behavior Using Google Trends and Wikipedia Pageviews. Front Oncol 2022; 12:855534. [PMID: 35515112 PMCID: PMC9061992 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.855534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Searching the internet for information on common neurologic symptoms and diseases has been increasing in recent times. It is postulated that online search volume data could be utilized to gauge public awareness and real-world epidemiological data regarding brain tumors. Objectives The goal of this study was to describe the pattern of online search queries of keywords related to neoplasms of the central nervous system (CNS). Methods Using Google Trends, search activity from January 2004 – January 2021 was quantified using relative search volume (RSV). The average RSV for the first 3 years was compared with the final 3 years to account for percent change. Wikipedia article views from July 2007 – January 2021 were generated using Pageviews. Peaks in RSV and page views were then matched for related news. Results “Brain tumor”, “brain cancer”, “glioblastoma”, and “glioma” had the highest search volume. RSV from Google Trends and views of Wikipedia pages reflected comparable data in terms of known prevalence rankings of tumor subtypes. There were no observable trends that could correlate to the rising numbers of brain tumor cases worldwide. However, headlines of personalities being diagnosed with glioblastomas were mostly responsible for temporary increases in public interest. Conclusions Transient rises in online search volume mirror public awareness of more aggressive CNS neoplasms that have a high burden of disease. Worldwide interest in brain tumors may not necessarily correspond to clinical occurrence, but may signify an unmet gap in providing accurate online information to neuro-oncologic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Willy L Mondia
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
| | - Adrian I Espiritu
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.,Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
| | - Roland Dominic G Jamora
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.,Institute for Neurosciences, St. Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City & Global City, Philippines
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Syed MJ, Khan S, Kataria M, Zutshi D. Did the COVID-19 pandemic impact help-seeking behavior for seizure management? A Google Trends™ study. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 126:108489. [PMID: 34920346 PMCID: PMC8669502 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Google Trends™ is a popular tool for analyzing healthcare-seeking patterns based on observed changes in the relative search volume (RSV) of the queries made on the Google™ search engine. Google Trends™ was increasingly utilized during the pandemic to assess the impact on mental health, risk communication, the impact of media coverage, and preparedness prediction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on help-seeking behaviors for seizures and/or epilepsy by assessing the changes in seizure-related online queries in periods before and since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic on Google Trends™. We compared the RSV volumes in the year prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic against weekly COVID-19 positive cases for each state and US census regions Search terms were categorized according to seizure symptoms or seizure treatment. Our study showed no significant increase in the RSV for seizure and epilepsy-related searches during the COVID-19 pandemic via Google Trends™. Public health entities and medical systems may use Google Trends ™ as a way to predict national, regional, and local patient needs and drive resources to meet patient demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam J. Syed
- Corresponding author at: Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, UHC-8D, Detroit, MI 48098, USA
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Moalong KMC, Jamora RDG, Roberto KT, Espiritu AI. Patterns of Google search behavior for epilepsy and seizures in the Philippines: An infodemiological study. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 125:108377. [PMID: 34717171 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The internet has been established as a rich source of health information that is well utilized by the public. Online health information-seeking behavior may reflect public awareness in particular health-related topics, including epilepsy and seizures. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe online search behavior for epilepsy and seizures in the Philippines through the examination of trends of Philippine-based Google search queries for epilepsy and seizure-related terms. METHODS The search volume indices (SVIs) for the keywords "epilepsy (disorder)" and "seizure (disease)" based on Philippine-based Google searches from January 2004 to July 2021 were generated using Google Trends. Descriptive analysis of search volume patterns, including related topics and queries, was performed. RESULTS There was a recent relative increase in Philippine-based searches related to the term "seizure" with a concurrent relative decline in searches related to the term "epilepsy" over time. The Philippines had the fifth-highest SVI for "seizure" based on worldwide trends. Most searches centered on the definition, symptomatology, etiologies, classification, and treatment of seizures and epilepsy. Queries containing seizure-related terms rose in volume by more than 5000% during the seventeen-year period. Search volume tended to peak during the National Epilepsy Awareness Week in September but slumped during holiday months. CONCLUSIONS Online search behavior in the Philippines for seizure-related terms appears to be on the rise and may reflect increasing public awareness in epilepsy. Factors including fears surrounding epileptic seizures, the stigma surrounding the term "epilepsy", and seasonal events including a regularly held epilepsy awareness week may influence online search behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Michael C Moalong
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
| | - Roland Dominic G Jamora
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Section of Neurology, Institute for Neurosciences, St. Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City & Global City, Philippines.
| | - Katrina T Roberto
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
| | - Adrian I Espiritu
- Division of Adult Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Timoneda JC, Vallejo Vera S. Will I die of coronavirus? Google Trends data reveal that politics determine virus fears. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258189. [PMID: 34614032 PMCID: PMC8494313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Is Google Trends (GT) useful to survey populations? Extant work has shown that certain search queries reflect the attitudes of hard-to-survey populations, but we do not know if this extends to the general population. In this article, we leverage abundant data from the Covid-19 pandemic to assess whether people's worries about the pandemic match epidemiological trends as well as political preferences. We use the string 'will I die from coronavirus' on GT as the measure for people's level of distress regarding Covid-19. We also test whether concern for coronavirus is a partisan issue by contrasting GT data and 2016 election results. We find strong evidence that (1) GT search volume close matches epidemiological data and (2) significant differences exist between states that supported Clinton or Trump in 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan C. Timoneda
- Department of Political Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
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SeyyedHosseini S, BasirianJahromi R. COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East countries: coronavirus-seeking behavior versus coronavirus-related publications. Scientometrics 2021; 126:7503-7523. [PMID: 34276108 PMCID: PMC8272609 DOI: 10.1007/s11192-021-04066-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The spread of COVID-19 has created a fundamental need for coordinated mechanisms responding to outbreaks in different sectors. One of the main sectors relates to information supply and demand in the middle of this pandemic in the digital environment. It could be called an infodemiology. It is known as a promising approach to solving the challenge in the present age. At this level, the purpose of this article is to investigate the COVID-19 related search process by field research. Data were retrieved from Google Trends in Middle Eastern countries alongside scientific research output of Middle Eastern scientists towards COVID-19 in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Daily COVID-19 cases and deaths were retrieved from the World Health Organization. We searched for descriptive statistical analyses to detect coronavirus-seeking behavior versus coronavirus releases in the Middle East in 2020. Findings show that people in the Middle East use various keyword solutions to search for COVID-19 in Google. There is a significant correlation between coronavirus confirmed cases and scientific productivity (January 2020-December 2020). Also, there is a positive association between the number of deaths and the number of scientific publications (except Jordan). It was a positive and significant association between online coronavirus-seeking behavior on Google (RSVs) and the confirmed cases (except Syria and Yemen). Furthermore, it was a positive relationship between RSVs and scientific productivity in the Middle East (except Bahrain and Qatar). From an infodemiological viewpoint, there is a significant correlation between coronavirus information demand and its information provision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh SeyyedHosseini
- Department of Medical Library and Information Science, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Reza BasirianJahromi
- Department of Medical Library and Information Science, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
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Yechiam E, Yom-Tov E. Unique Internet Search Strategies of Individuals With Self-Stated Autism: Quantitative Analysis of Search Engine Users' Investigative Behaviors. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e23829. [PMID: 34255644 PMCID: PMC8292935 DOI: 10.2196/23829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although autism is often characterized in literature by the presence of repetitive behavior, in structured decision tasks, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to examine more options in a given time period than controls. Objective We aimed to examine whether this investigative tendency emerges in information searches conducted via the internet. Methods In total, 1746 search engine users stated that they had ASD in 2019. This group’s naturally occurring responses following 1491 unique general queries and 78 image queries were compared to those of all other users of the search engine. The main dependent measure was scrolled distance, which denoted the extent to which additional results were scanned beyond the initial results presented on-screen. Additionally, we examined the number of clicks on search results as an indicator of the degree of search outcome exploitation and assessed whether there was a trade-off between increased search range and the time invested in viewing initial search results. Results After issuing general queries, individuals with self-stated ASD scanned more results than controls. The scrolled distance in the results page of general queries was 45% larger for the group of individuals with ASD (P<.001; d=0.45). The group of individuals with ASD also made the first scroll faster than the controls (P<.001; d=0.51). The differences in scrolled distance were larger for popular queries. No group differences in scrolled distance emerged for image queries, suggesting that visual load impeded the investigative behavior of individuals with ASD. No differences emerged in the number of clicks on search results. Conclusions Individuals who self-stated that they had ASD scrutinized more general search results and fewer image search results than the controls. Thus, our results at least partially support the notion that individuals with ASD exhibit investigative behaviors and suggest that textual searches are an important context for expressing such tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eldad Yechiam
- Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Elad Yom-Tov
- Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.,Microsoft Research, Herzliya, Israel
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11
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The Impact of Sustainability Awareness and Moral Values on Environmental Laws. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13115882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We argue that environmental legislation and regulation of more developed countries reflects significantly their moral values, but in less developed countries it differs significantly from their moral values. We examined this topic by using the keywords “sustainability” and “sustainable development”, studying web pages and articles published between 1974 to 2018 in Web of Science, Scopus and Google. Australia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda were ranked as the top three countries in the number of Google searches for sustainability. The top five cities that appeared in sustainability searches through Google are all from Africa. In terms of academic publications, China, India, and Brazil record among the largest numbers of sustainability and sustainable development articles in Scopus. Six out of the ten top productive institutions publishing sustainable development articles indexed in Scopus were located in developing countries, indicating that developing countries are well aware of the issues surrounding sustainable development. Our results show that when environmental law reflects moral values for betterment, legal adoption is more likely to be successful, which usually happens in well-developed regions. In less-developed states, environmental law differs significantly from moral values, such that changes in moral values are necessary for successful legal implementation. Our study has important implications for the development of policies and cultures, together with the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in all countries.
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Lavorgna L, Brigo F, Esposito S, Abbadessa G, Sparaco M, Lanzillo R, Moccia M, Inglese M, Bonfanti L, Trojsi F, Spina E, Russo A, De Micco P, Clerico M, Tedeschi G, Bonavita S. Public Engagement and Neurology: An Update. Brain Sci 2021; 11:429. [PMID: 33800571 PMCID: PMC8065487 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11040429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public engagement (PE) is defined as the involvement of "specialists who listen, develop their understanding, and interact with non-specialists in non-profit activities of educational, cultural, and social nature to engage the public in science-related matters". The public health relevance of PE consists in building up a scientifically literate society, able to participate in and support scientific and technological developments and their implications for educational settings. Neurological disorders account for 35% of all diseases. PE could have a positive impact on the lives of people affected by neurological diseases. METHOD This review evaluates the role of PE in dementia, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, migraine, neurogenetics, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS PE can provide accessible information, support research activities and prevention through appropriate lifestyles, and increase knowledge and awareness of neurological disorders, improving their diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Lavorgna
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of Merano (SABES-ASDAA), 39012 Merano, Italy;
| | - Sabrina Esposito
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Gianmarco Abbadessa
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Maddalena Sparaco
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Roberta Lanzillo
- Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, Federico II University, 80138 Naples, Italy; (R.L.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Marcello Moccia
- Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, Federico II University, 80138 Naples, Italy; (R.L.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Matilde Inglese
- Italy—OSPEDALE San Martino, IRCCS, University of Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy;
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Francesca Trojsi
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Emanuele Spina
- Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, Federico II University, 80138 Naples, Italy; (R.L.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Antonio Russo
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | | | - Marinella Clerico
- Clinical and Biological Sciences Department, University of Torino, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Gioacchino Tedeschi
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Simona Bonavita
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU—University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, P.zza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy; (L.L.); (S.E.); (G.A.); (M.S.); (A.R.); (G.T.); (S.B.)
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Murphy OC, Suhaimi SS, O'Sullivan SS. Neurology patient engagement with online health-related resources. J Neurol Sci 2020; 420:117264. [PMID: 33341083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olwen C Murphy
- Department of Neurology, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA.
| | | | - Seán S O'Sullivan
- Department of Neurology, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland; Department of Neurology, Bons Secours Hospital, Cork, Ireland
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Senecal C, Gulati R, Lerman A. Google Trends Insights Into Reduced Acute Coronary Syndrome Admissions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infodemiology Study. JMIR Cardio 2020; 4:e20426. [PMID: 32831186 PMCID: PMC7470173 DOI: 10.2196/20426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a reduction in the presentation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been noted in several countries. However, whether these trends reflect a reduction in ACS incidence or a decrease in emergency room visits is unknown. Using Google Trends, queries for chest pain that have previously been shown to closely correlate with coronary heart disease were compared with searches for myocardial infarction and COVID-19 symptoms. Objective The current study evaluates if search terms (or topics) pertaining to chest pain symptoms correlate with the reported decrease in presentations of ACS. Methods Google Trends data for search terms “chest pain,” “myocardial infarction,” “cough,” and “fever” were obtained from June 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020. Related queries were evaluated for a relationship to coronary heart disease. Results Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, chest pain searches increased in all countries studied by at least 34% (USA P=.003, Spain P=.007, UK P=.001, Italy P=.002), while searches for myocardial infarction dropped or remained unchanged. Rising searches for chest pain included “coronavirus chest pain,” “home remedies for chest pain,” and “natural remedies for chest pain.” Searches on COVID-19 symptoms (eg, cough, fever) rose initially but returned to baseline while chest pain–related searches remained elevated throughout May. Conclusions Search engine queries for chest pain have risen during the pandemic as have related searches with alternative attribution for chest pain or home care for chest pain, suggesting that recent drops in ACS presentations may be due to patients avoiding the emergency room and potential treatment in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Higgins TS, Wu AW, Sharma D, Illing EA, Rubel K, Ting JY. Correlations of Online Search Engine Trends With Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Incidence: Infodemiology Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e19702. [PMID: 32401211 PMCID: PMC7244220 DOI: 10.2196/19702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the latest pandemic of the digital age. With the internet harvesting large amounts of data from the general population in real time, public databases such as Google Trends (GT) and the Baidu Index (BI) can be an expedient tool to assist public health efforts. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to apply digital epidemiology to the current COVID-19 pandemic to determine the utility of providing adjunctive epidemiologic information on outbreaks of this disease and evaluate this methodology in the case of future pandemics. METHODS An epidemiologic time series analysis of online search trends relating to the COVID-19 pandemic was performed from January 9, 2020, to April 6, 2020. BI was used to obtain online search data for China, while GT was used for worldwide data, the countries of Italy and Spain, and the US states of New York and Washington. These data were compared to real-world confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19. Chronologic patterns were assessed in relation to disease patterns, significant events, and media reports. RESULTS Worldwide search terms for shortness of breath, anosmia, dysgeusia and ageusia, headache, chest pain, and sneezing had strong correlations (r>0.60, P<.001) to both new daily confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19. GT COVID-19 (search term) and GT coronavirus (virus) searches predated real-world confirmed cases by 12 days (r=0.85, SD 0.10 and r=0.76, SD 0.09, respectively, P<.001). Searches for symptoms of diarrhea, fever, shortness of breath, cough, nasal obstruction, and rhinorrhea all had a negative lag greater than 1 week compared to new daily cases, while searches for anosmia and dysgeusia peaked worldwide and in China with positive lags of 5 days and 6 weeks, respectively, corresponding with widespread media coverage of these symptoms in COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the utility of digital epidemiology in providing helpful surveillance data of disease outbreaks like COVID-19. Although certain online search trends for this disease were influenced by media coverage, many search terms reflected clinical manifestations of the disease and showed strong correlations with real-world cases and deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Higgins
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Communicative Disorders, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Rhinology, Sinus & Skull Base, Kentuckiana Ear Nose Throat, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Arthur W Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dhruv Sharma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Elisa A Illing
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Kolin Rubel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Jonathan Y Ting
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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- Snot Force, KY, United States
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Sharma D, Sandelski MM, Ting J, Higgins TS. Correlations in Trends of Sinusitis-Related Online Google Search Queries in the United States. Am J Rhinol Allergy 2020; 34:482-486. [PMID: 32064888 DOI: 10.1177/1945892420905761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Online search query trends have been shown to correlate with real-life epidemiologic phenomena. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze correlations in trends in Google online search volumes of sinusitis-related terms, including symptomatology and similar disease states. METHODS Terms clinically associated with "sinusitis" were determined by consensus. Terms of symptomatology were derived from the validated 22-item sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-22) as well as terminology encountered with the authors' clinical experience. Terms of disease states that could overlap in symptomatology with sinusitis were then chosen. Google Trends, an online tool for extracting relative frequencies from a public database of search queries, was used to query normalized monthly volumes in the United States from January 2004 to September 2017 of searches related to the topics decided upon by consensus. Bivariate Pearson correlation was used to compare the search queries. RESULTS Online search volumes of "sinusitis" have a distinct seasonal variation, with consistent annual peaks and troughs. In terms of symptomatology, "postnasal drip," "nasal congestion," "cough," "rhinorrhea," and "sore throat" most highly correlated with "sinusitis" search volumes with statistical significance. "sinusitis" search query volume had a higher positive correlation with "common cold" and "acute sinusitis" than "chronic sinusitis" with regard to disease states. CONCLUSIONS Trends in Google online search volumes over time of "sinusitis" symptomatology mimic real-world clinical phenomena and provide insight into the issues affecting the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruv Sharma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Morgan M Sandelski
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jonathan Ting
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Thomas S Higgins
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.,Rhinology, Sinus & Skull Base, Kentuckiana Ear, Nose, and Throat, Louisville, Kentucky
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Kinney MO, Brigo F. What can Google Trends and Wikipedia-Pageview analysis tell us about the landscape of epilepsy surgery over time? Epilepsy Behav 2020; 103:106533. [PMID: 31645311 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy surgery is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. Some centers have noticed changes in referral patterns. AIM The aim of this study was to determine if online infodemiological data related to epilepsy surgery reflect reported changes in referrals to surgical centers. METHODS Google Trends and Pageview analysis of temporal trends of searches conducted in Google and Wikipedia for epilepsy surgery, using key search terms such as "epilepsy surgery" and terms related to pathology, operation type, and investigative practice. RESULTS Over the 15-year time period studied by Google trend analysis, when the initial three-year epoch and final three-year epoch are compared, a 56.1% decline in search volume for "epilepsy surgery" was observed. Vagus nerve stimulation and laser ablation are increasingly searched items. Pageview analysis shows that temporal lobe epilepsy remains the most commonly searched subtype of epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis was searched for more than focal cortical dysplasia. CONCLUSION This study suggests a lower search interest over time in epilepsy surgery, and various associated terms, with increased interest in vagus nerve stimulation and laser ablation procedures over time. There is no clear indication from these data regarding the apparent shift from mesial temporal cases to an increase in extratemporal case workload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Owen Kinney
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Division of Neurology, "Franz Tappeiner" Hospital, Merano, Italy
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Memon SA, Razak S, Weber I. Lifestyle Disease Surveillance Using Population Search Behavior: Feasibility Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e13347. [PMID: 32012050 PMCID: PMC7011125 DOI: 10.2196/13347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As the process of producing official health statistics for lifestyle diseases is slow, researchers have explored using Web search data as a proxy for lifestyle disease surveillance. Existing studies, however, are prone to at least one of the following issues: ad-hoc keyword selection, overfitting, insufficient predictive evaluation, lack of generalization, and failure to compare against trivial baselines. Objective The aims of this study were to (1) employ a corrective approach improving previous methods; (2) study the key limitations in using Google Trends for lifestyle disease surveillance; and (3) test the generalizability of our methodology to other countries beyond the United States. Methods For each of the target variables (diabetes, obesity, and exercise), prevalence rates were collected. After a rigorous keyword selection process, data from Google Trends were collected. These data were denormalized to form spatio-temporal indices. L1-regularized regression models were trained to predict prevalence rates from denormalized Google Trends indices. Models were tested on a held-out set and compared against baselines from the literature as well as a trivial last year equals this year baseline. A similar analysis was done using a multivariate spatio-temporal model where the previous year’s prevalence was included as a covariate. This model was modified to create a time-lagged regression analysis framework. Finally, a hierarchical time-lagged multivariate spatio-temporal model was created to account for subnational trends in the data. The model trained on US data was, then, applied in a transfer learning framework to Canada. Results In the US context, our proposed models beat the performances of the prior work, as well as the trivial baselines. In terms of the mean absolute error (MAE), the best of our proposed models yields 24% improvement (0.72-0.55; P<.001) for diabetes; 18% improvement (1.20-0.99; P=.001) for obesity, and 34% improvement (2.89-1.95; P<.001) for exercise. Our proposed across-country transfer learning framework also shows promising results with an average Spearman and Pearson correlation of 0.70 for diabetes and 0.90 and 0.91 for obesity, respectively. Conclusions Although our proposed models beat the baselines, we find the modeling of lifestyle diseases to be a challenging problem, one that requires an abundance of data as well as creative modeling strategies. In doing so, this study shows a low-to-moderate validity of Google Trends in the context of lifestyle disease surveillance, even when applying novel corrective approaches, including a proposed denormalization scheme. We envision qualitative analyses to be a more practical use of Google Trends in the context of lifestyle disease surveillance. For the quantitative analyses, the highest utility of using Google Trends is in the context of transfer learning where low-resource countries could benefit from high-resource countries by using proxy models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahan Ali Memon
- Language Technologies Institute, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | | | - Ingmar Weber
- Social Computing Department, Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
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Feinstein MA, Sharp RR, Sandness DJ, Feemster JC, Junna M, Kotagal S, Lipford MC, Tippmann-Peikert M, Boeve BF, Silber MH, St Louis EK. Physician and patient determinants of prognostic counseling in idiopathic REM sleep-behavior disorder. Sleep Med 2019; 62:80-85. [PMID: 31581066 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND Prognostic counseling about the risk for developing overt neurodegenerative disorders for patients with idiopathic REM sleep-behavior disorder (iRBD) and isolated REM sleep without atonia (iRSWA) is difficult, given lack of disease-modifying interventions and uncertainty in accurate prognostication for individuals. We aimed to analyze patient and physician characteristics associated with documented prognostic discussions for patients with iRBD and iRSWA. PATIENTS/METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records for 138 (112 iRBD and 26 iRSWA) patients seen at the Mayo Clinic between 2012 and 2015. We analyzed physician and patient demographics, initial complaint, and other information discussed during office visits. We then comparatively analyzed the impact of physician and patient characteristics on documented prognostic discussions using Chi Square or Fischer's exact test. RESULTS Mean iRBD patient age was 65.0 ± 13.0, and mean iRSWA age was 58 ± 15 years. Seventy-eight (69.6%) iRBD and 22 (84.6%) iRSWA patients were men. Sixty-two (55%) iRBD and three (12%) iRSWA patients received prognostic counseling about phenoconversion risk. iRBD was a secondary complaint in 67 (59.8%). Patients over age 60 years and those having iRBD as a chief complaint more frequently received prognostic discussions than those with opposite characteristics (all p < 0.05). Patient sex and antidepressant use were not associated with counseling. Sleep neurologists disclosed prognostic information most frequently, with male more likely than female clinicians to disclose prognoses. CONCLUSIONS Several patient and physician characteristics appear to influence documented prognostic counseling for iRBD/RSWA patients. Future studies of iRBD/RSWA patients' preferences are needed to clarify ethically appropriate physician-patient communication concerning prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max A Feinstein
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Biomedical Ethics Research Program, USA; University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, USA
| | - Richard R Sharp
- Biomedical Ethics Research Program, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - David J Sandness
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA
| | - John C Feemster
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA
| | - Mithri Junna
- Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Suresh Kotagal
- Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, USA
| | - Melissa C Lipford
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Maja Tippmann-Peikert
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Bradley F Boeve
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Michael H Silber
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Erik K St Louis
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, USA; Biomedical Ethics Research Program, USA; Department of Neurology, USA; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Brigo F, Lattanzi S, Kinney MO, Bragazzi NL, Tassi L, Nardone R, Mecarelli O. Online behavior of people visiting a scientific website on epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2019; 90:79-83. [PMID: 30522058 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the online behavior of Internet users consulting the website of the Italian Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (Lega Italiana Contro l'Epilessia [LICE]). We obtained the visualization statistics of the LICE website using AWStats (https://awstats.sourceforge.io/) and Google Trends (https://trends.google.com/trends/), and compared the statistics of years 2010, 2014, and 2017. The following variables were analyzed: number of unique visitors and visits, visit duration, the day of week and rush hours, most downloaded documents, most viewed pages, keyphrases and keywords used for online searches, origins of searches, and geographic trends of Google searches related to the LICE. The total numbers of unique visitors, visits and page views remained quite stable over time. Most visits (70 to 76.7%) lasted less than 30 s. The most frequent keyphrases and keywords used for online searches were related to clinical guidelines and driving license. Among the most frequently downloaded documents were general guides on epilepsy. The pages with the list of epilepsy centers endorsed by the LICE and those with the list of LICE guidelines were among those most frequently viewed, together with educational videos. Most users directly accessed the website without being referred from external links. No information on geographic origin of Google searches was available. The visualization statistics suggested two distinct populations of visitors. The first one is likely represented by physicians who seek specialist information on diagnosis and management of epilepsy, including guidelines. The second population is represented by lay people who seek accessible and easily comprehensible information to better understand epilepsy and know which centers are best for its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Hospital Franz Tappeiner, Department of Neurology, Merano, Italy.
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Marche Polytechnic University, Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ancona, Italy
| | - Michael O Kinney
- Department of Neurology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, County Antrim, UK
| | - Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
- School of Public Health, University of Genoa, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Tassi
- Niguarda Hospital, 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Centre, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Hospital Franz Tappeiner, Department of Neurology, Merano, Italy; Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Oriano Mecarelli
- 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Human Neuroscience Department, Rome, Italy
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Eli K. Latin American countries lead in Google search volumes for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: Implications for global mental health research. Int J Eat Disord 2018; 51:1352-1356. [PMID: 30478851 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although eating disorders occur worldwide, prevalence data beyond Euro-American contexts are sparse, and eating disorders largely remain outside global mental health agendas. This study aims to address this gap in the epidemiological literature through a global infodemiological comparison of Google search volumes for the topics "Anorexia nervosa" and "Bulimia nervosa." METHOD Data were generated through Google Trends, a tool that assesses the relative search volumes of keywords and topics. Google Trends data, collected from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2016, were obtained for the relative search volumes of the topics "Anorexia nervosa" and "Bulimia nervosa" worldwide. RESULTS The findings revealed that Latin American countries accounted for the top 10 in search volume for both topics, with Mexico ranked first until 2016, when Bolivia rose to the top of the list. DISCUSSION The results suggest that eating disorders are of considerable and consistent salience across Latin America, and that population-based, nationally representative studies to assess the prevalence of eating disorders in Latin American countries should be prioritized within global mental health research agendas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Eli
- Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Ho HT, Carvajal TM, Bautista JR, Capistrano JDR, Viacrusis KM, Hernandez LFT, Watanabe K. Using Google Trends to Examine the Spatio-Temporal Incidence and Behavioral Patterns of Dengue Disease: A Case Study in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. Trop Med Infect Dis 2018; 3:E118. [PMID: 30423898 PMCID: PMC6306840 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed3040118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a major public health concern and an economic burden in the Philippines. Despite the country's improved dengue surveillance, it still suffers from various setbacks and needs to be complemented with alternative approaches. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of Internet-based surveillance such as Google Dengue Trends (GDT) in supplementing current epidemiological methods for predicting future dengue outbreaks and patterns. With this, our study has two objectives: (1) assess the temporal relationship of weekly GDT and dengue incidence in Metropolitan Manila from 2009⁻2014; and (2) examine the health-seeking behavior based on dengue-related search queries of the population. The study collated the population statistics and reported dengue cases in Metropolitan Manila from respective government agencies to calculate the dengue incidence (DI) on a weekly basis for the entire region and annually per city. Data processing of GDT and dengue incidence was performed by conducting an 'adjustment' and scaling procedures, respectively, and further analyzed for correlation and cross-correlation analyses using Pearson's correlation. The relative search volume of the term 'dengue' and top dengue-related search queries in Metropolitan Manila were obtained and organized from the Google Trends platform. Afterwards, a thematic analysis was employed, and word clouds were generated to examine the health behavior of the population. Results showed that weekly temporal GDT pattern are closely similar to the weekly DI pattern in Metropolitan Manila. Further analysis showed that GDT has a moderate and positive association with DI when adjusted or scaled, respectively. Cross-correlation analysis revealed a delayed effect where GDT leads DI by 1⁻2 weeks. Thematic analysis of dengue-related search queries indicated 5 categories namely; (a) dengue, (b) sign and symptoms of dengue, (c) treatment and prevention, (d) mosquito, and (e) other diseases. The majority of the search queries were classified in 'signs and symptoms' which indicate the health-seeking behavior of the population towards the disease. Therefore, GDT can be utilized to complement traditional disease surveillance methods combined with other factors that could potentially identify dengue hotspots and help in public health decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howell T Ho
- Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City 1112, Philippines.
| | - Thaddeus M Carvajal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Faculty of Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
- Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Science and Environmental Research-College of Science, De La Salle University, Taft Ave Manila 1004, Philippines.
- Biology Department-College of Science, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, Philippines.
| | - John Robert Bautista
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, 637718, Singapore.
| | - Jayson Dale R Capistrano
- Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Science and Environmental Research-College of Science, De La Salle University, Taft Ave Manila 1004, Philippines.
- Biology Department-College of Science, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, Philippines.
| | - Katherine M Viacrusis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Faculty of Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Lara Fides T Hernandez
- Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City 1112, Philippines.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Faculty of Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
- Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Laboratory, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City 1781, Philippines.
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Faculty of Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
- Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Science and Environmental Research-College of Science, De La Salle University, Taft Ave Manila 1004, Philippines.
- Biology Department-College of Science, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, Philippines.
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Mavragani A, Ochoa G, Tsagarakis KP. Assessing the Methods, Tools, and Statistical Approaches in Google Trends Research: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20:e270. [PMID: 30401664 PMCID: PMC6246971 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.9366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the era of information overload, are big data analytics the answer to access and better manage available knowledge? Over the last decade, the use of Web-based data in public health issues, that is, infodemiology, has been proven useful in assessing various aspects of human behavior. Google Trends is the most popular tool to gather such information, and it has been used in several topics up to this point, with health and medicine being the most focused subject. Web-based behavior is monitored and analyzed in order to examine actual human behavior so as to predict, better assess, and even prevent health-related issues that constantly arise in everyday life. Objective This systematic review aimed at reporting and further presenting and analyzing the methods, tools, and statistical approaches for Google Trends (infodemiology) studies in health-related topics from 2006 to 2016 to provide an overview of the usefulness of said tool and be a point of reference for future research on the subject. Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for selecting studies, we searched for the term “Google Trends” in the Scopus and PubMed databases from 2006 to 2016, applying specific criteria for types of publications and topics. A total of 109 published papers were extracted, excluding duplicates and those that did not fall inside the topics of health and medicine or the selected article types. We then further categorized the published papers according to their methodological approach, namely, visualization, seasonality, correlations, forecasting, and modeling. Results All the examined papers comprised, by definition, time series analysis, and all but two included data visualization. A total of 23.1% (24/104) studies used Google Trends data for examining seasonality, while 39.4% (41/104) and 32.7% (34/104) of the studies used correlations and modeling, respectively. Only 8.7% (9/104) of the studies used Google Trends data for predictions and forecasting in health-related topics; therefore, it is evident that a gap exists in forecasting using Google Trends data. Conclusions The monitoring of online queries can provide insight into human behavior, as this field is significantly and continuously growing and will be proven more than valuable in the future for assessing behavioral changes and providing ground for research using data that could not have been accessed otherwise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaryllis Mavragani
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela Ochoa
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Using Internet Search Trends and Historical Trading Data for Predicting Stock Markets by the Least Squares Support Vector Regression Model. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2018; 2018:6305246. [PMID: 30140278 PMCID: PMC6081535 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6305246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Historical trading data, which are inevitably associated with the framework of causality both financially and theoretically, were widely used to predict stock market values. With the popularity of social networking and Internet search tools, information collection ways have been diversified. Instead of only theoretical causality in forecasting, the importance of data relations has raised. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate performances of forecasting stock markets by data from Google Trends, historical trading data (HTD), and hybrid data. The keywords employed for Google Trends are collected from three different ways including users' definitions (GTU), trending searches of Google Trends (GTTS), and tweets (GTT) correspondingly. The hybrid data include Internet search trends from Google Trends and historical trading data. In addition, the correlation-based feature selection (CFS) technique is used to select independent variables, and one-step ahead policy is adopted by the least squares support vector regression (LSSVR) for predicting stock markets. Numerical experiments indicate that using hybrid data can provide more accurate forecasting results than using single historical trading data or data from Google Trends. Thus, using hybrid data of Internet search trends and historical trading data by LSSVR models is a promising alternative for forecasting stock markets.
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Brigo F, Lattanzi S, Giussani G, Tassi L, Pietrafusa N, Galimberti CA, Nardone R, Bragazzi NL, Mecarelli O. Italian Wikipedia and epilepsy: An infodemiological study of online information-seeking behavior. Epilepsy Behav 2018; 81:119-122. [PMID: 29454607 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wikipedia is the most commonly accessed source of health information by both healthcare professionals and the lay public worldwide. We aimed to evaluate information-seeking behavior of Internet users searching the Italian Wikipedia for articles related to epilepsy and its treatment. Using Pageviews Analysis, we assessed the total and mean monthly views of articles from the Italian Wikipedia devoted to epilepsy, epileptic syndromes, seizure type, and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) from January 1, 2015 to October 31, 2017. We compared the views of the article on epilepsy with those of articles focusing on Alzheimer's disease, migraine, multiple sclerosis, syncope, and stroke and adjusted all results for crude disease prevalence. With the only exception of the article on multiple sclerosis, the adjusted views for the Italian Wikipedia article on epilepsy were higher than those for the other neurological disorders. The most viewed articles on seizure type were devoted to tonic-clonic seizure, typical absence seizure, tonic convulsive seizures, and clonic convulsive seizures. The most frequently accessed articles on epilepsy syndromes were about temporal lobe epilepsy and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The most frequently viewed articles on AEDs were devoted to valproic acid, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam. Wikipedia searches seem to mirror patients' fears and worries about epilepsy more than its actual epidemiology. The ultimate reasons for searching online remain unknown. Epileptologists and epilepsy scientific societies should make greater efforts to work jointly with Wikipedia to convey more accurate and up-to-date information about epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Hospital Franz Tappeiner, Department of Neurology, Merano, Italy.
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Marche Polytechnic University, Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ancona, Italy
| | - Giorgia Giussani
- IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche 'Mario Negri', Laboratory of Neurological Disorders, Department of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Tassi
- Niguarda Hospital, 'Claudio Munari' Epilepsy Surgery Centre, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Pietrafusa
- Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Department of Neuroscience, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Raffaele Nardone
- Hospital Franz Tappeiner, Department of Neurology, Merano, Italy; Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
- School of Public Health, University of Genoa, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Genoa, Italy
| | - Oriano Mecarelli
- 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Human Neuroscience Department, Rome, Italy
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Mavragani A, Sampri A, Sypsa K, Tsagarakis KP. Integrating Smart Health in the US Health Care System: Infodemiology Study of Asthma Monitoring in the Google Era. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2018; 4:e24. [PMID: 29530839 PMCID: PMC5869181 DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.8726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the internet's penetration and use constantly expanding, this vast amount of information can be employed in order to better assess issues in the US health care system. Google Trends, a popular tool in big data analytics, has been widely used in the past to examine interest in various medical and health-related topics and has shown great potential in forecastings, predictions, and nowcastings. As empirical relationships between online queries and human behavior have been shown to exist, a new opportunity to explore the behavior toward asthma-a common respiratory disease-is present. OBJECTIVE This study aimed at forecasting the online behavior toward asthma and examined the correlations between queries and reported cases in order to explore the possibility of nowcasting asthma prevalence in the United States using online search traffic data. METHODS Applying Holt-Winters exponential smoothing to Google Trends time series from 2004 to 2015 for the term "asthma," forecasts for online queries at state and national levels are estimated from 2016 to 2020 and validated against available Google query data from January 2016 to June 2017. Correlations among yearly Google queries and between Google queries and reported asthma cases are examined. RESULTS Our analysis shows that search queries exhibit seasonality within each year and the relationships between each 2 years' queries are statistically significant (P<.05). Estimated forecasting models for a 5-year period (2016 through 2020) for Google queries are robust and validated against available data from January 2016 to June 2017. Significant correlations were found between (1) online queries and National Health Interview Survey lifetime asthma (r=-.82, P=.001) and current asthma (r=-.77, P=.004) rates from 2004 to 2015 and (2) between online queries and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System lifetime (r=-.78, P=.003) and current asthma (r=-.79, P=.002) rates from 2004 to 2014. The correlations are negative, but lag analysis to identify the period of response cannot be employed until short-interval data on asthma prevalence are made available. CONCLUSIONS Online behavior toward asthma can be accurately predicted, and significant correlations between online queries and reported cases exist. This method of forecasting Google queries can be used by health care officials to nowcast asthma prevalence by city, state, or nationally, subject to future availability of daily, weekly, or monthly data on reported cases. This method could therefore be used for improved monitoring and assessment of the needs surrounding the current population of patients with asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaryllis Mavragani
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Alexia Sampri
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Karla Sypsa
- Department of Pharmacy and Forensic Science, King's College London, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantinos P Tsagarakis
- Business and Environmental Technology Economics Lab, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece
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Knowledge of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) among 372 patients attending a German tertiary epilepsy center. Epilepsy Behav 2018; 80:360-364. [PMID: 29454605 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence that the sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) risk can be reduced by good seizure control, nocturnal supervision, and by early cardiopulmonary resuscitation if cardiorespiratory arrest occurs in the aftermaths of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS). These measures, however, may critically depend on the knowledge of patients and relatives on SUDEP. Here, we assessed the basic knowledge on SUDEP of people with epilepsy at a tertiary epilepsy center in Germany. METHODS Adult patients with epilepsy and relatives or caregivers of patients with epilepsy aged 16years or older attending our outpatient clinic from January to March 2014 were given the opportunity to participate in a (assisted or unassisted) written survey. In the anonymized questionnaire, people were asked if they had already heard about SUDEP, by what means and if they wish to learn (more) about SUDEP. Furthermore, age, sex, epilepsy duration, highest degree of education, number of GTCS during the last year, and estimation of subjective impairment by their disease were assessed. Statistics were done using mixed linear or logistic regression models. RESULTS A total of 372 patients' questionnaires were included in this survey. More than 87% of the participants had never heard of SUDEP before. Whereas about 50% of the participants wanted to learn more about SUDEP, about 40% did not. Only the age at survey was significantly associated with both being informed and the desire of learning more about SUDEP: Younger patients had more often heard (p=0.022) and wanted to know more about SUDEP (p=0.020). Thirty-nine patients were considered at high risk for SUDEP. Of these, only 6 patients (15%) knew about SUDEP prior to this survey, but 18 patients (46%) wanted to learn more about this fatal complication. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that the level of information on SUDEP among people with epilepsy is poor in Germany regardless of sex, school education, or epilepsy severity. Additionally, a considerable proportion of people with epilepsy seems to prefer not getting detailed information on SUDEP. More efforts are required to understand the potential barriers of the education of patients and relatives on sudden death with the ultimate goal of decreasing the risk of SUDEP.
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Why do people search Wikipedia for information on multiple sclerosis? Mult Scler Relat Disord 2018; 20:210-214. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Aguirre PE, Coelho M, Oliveira T, Rios D, Cruvinel AF, Cruvinel T. What Can Google Inform Us about People's Interests regarding Dental Caries in Different Populations? Caries Res 2018; 52:177-188. [PMID: 29353276 DOI: 10.1159/000485107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis or suspicion of dental caries can lead people to seek additional information on the Internet through the use of structured queries in search engine tools. This action generates a considerable volume of data, which can be analyzed to provide a better understanding of the public's behavior linked to the consumption of oral health information. This study aimed to assess the volume and profile of web searches on dental caries-related queries performed by Google users from different countries. The monthly variation of the Search Volume Index (SVI) for dental caries was obtained in Google Trends for the period between January 2004 and September 2016. The validity of SVI data was assessed by their levels of stability and correlation with the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for permanent teeth. In all countries, a trend of an increasing interest of Google users in dental caries issues was revealed by the comparison of the means observed in the predictive models and those in the last 12 months. The interest levels varied throughout the year, with the observation of the highest SVI values in the spring and the lowest in the summer. The most popular queries were markedly associated with symptoms and treatments, with a little interest in prevention. In conclusion, the use of Internet data mining could be helpful in establishing the dental needs of specific population groups in a near real-time, since the web consumption of dental information is increasing in importance and appears to have a direct relation with untreated dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Estefania Aguirre
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics and Public Health, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil
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Fong CY, Lim WK, Kong AN, Lua PL, Ong LC. Provision of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) information among Malaysian parents of children with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2017; 75:6-12. [PMID: 28806633 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is an important cause of mortality in epilepsy. To date, there is only one published UK study evaluating information provision of SUDEP among parents of children with epilepsy (CWE), and there are no studies published from Asia. Although SUDEP information provision is recommended among parents of CWE, it is uncertain if these recommendations are applicable to Asian countries due to the different cultural attitude towards epilepsy. Our prospective cohort study consisted of multiethnic parents of children with epilepsy (CWE) seen in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. Information on SUDEP was delivered to parents using an epilepsy educational software program. Participants completed a set of standardized questionnaire and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Form (DASS-21) immediately after and retested 3-6months after the SUDEP information provision. A total of 127 parents (84 mothers) participated in the study. The CWE consisted of 3 ethnic groups (38% Malay, 30% Chinese, 32% Indian) with a mean age of 9.6years. Majority (70.9%) felt positive after SUDEP information provision, 90.6% wanted SUDEP discussion for themselves with 70.1% wanted SUDEP discussion with their child, and a lower proportion (58.3%) would discuss SUDEP with their child. None of the participants reported increased symptoms of depression, stress or anxiety attributed to SUDEP information provision. Most parents took steps to reduce SUDEP risk, and most parents did not report an impact on their own functioning. However, there was an increase in parental report over time of impact on their child's functioning following SUDEP information (P<0.05). In conclusion, most Malaysian parents of CWE wanted SUDEP information. Following SUDEP information disclosure, majority did not report negative emotions; however, an increase in parents over time reported an impact on their child. Our findings reiterate that provision of SUDEP information should form part of care of CWE and parents should receive ongoing support as they undergo a period of parenting adjustment when dealing with the information provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choong Yi Fong
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Wei Kang Lim
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ann Nie Kong
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Pei Lin Lua
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Lai Choo Ong
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Mahroum N, Watad A, Bragazzi NL, Amital H, Sharif K, Watad S, Adavastro G, Canepa G, Brigo F, Adawi M. On status epilepticus and pins: A systematic content analysis. Epilepsy Behav 2017; 74:130-134. [PMID: 28734196 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Status epilepticus (SE) can be defined as abnormally prolonged, persistent, or recurrent clinical and/or electrographic epileptic activity and, as such, is a challenging medical emergency requiring an aggressive treatment aimed at promptly terminating the seizures. It imposes a relevant clinical burden, both in terms of comorbidity and mortality. In the era of the Web 2.0, most people search the Web to obtain SE-related information. The current investigation aimed at qualitatively characterizing the pins related to SE: Pinterest, "the world's catalog of ideas", is a visual social networking site that enables users to freely upload visual material, to bookmark, and to share it (repin). Using SE as a keyword, 192 pins were extracted and analyzed on the basis of their content. Fifty-five were found to meet the inclusion criteria. Fifty-six point four percent of the pins reported at least one cause of SE, the most quoted of which being remote brain injuries (47.3% of the pins); 54.5% and 45.5% of the included pins reported SE symptoms and diagnosis, respectively; 72.7% and 40.0% of pins focused on SE treatment and on prognosis, respectively; and 50.9%, 30.9%, and 40.0% of the pins were intended for physicians, medical/nursing students, and lay people, respectively. Only 12.7% of pins were patient-centered and devoted to fund-raising and advocacy. In the field of neurological diseases, Pinterest, despite being a "pinstructive" tool, is too much overlooked and underused for advocacy purposes. Healthcare workers and stakeholders should be aware of the opportunities offered by Pinterest and exploit this visual social networking site for raising awareness of the life-threatening condition of SE, promoting fund-raising campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naim Mahroum
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Abdulla Watad
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
- Post-graduate School of Public Health Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Howard Amital
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Kassem Sharif
- Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Samaa Watad
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Giulia Adavastro
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Canepa
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Mohammad Adawi
- Padeh and Ziv Hospitals, Bar-Ilan Faculty of Medicine, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Baeza-Yates R, Sangal PM, Villoslada P. Burden of neurological diseases in the US revealed by web searches. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178019. [PMID: 28531237 PMCID: PMC5439713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Analyzing the disease-related web searches of Internet users provides insight into the interests of the general population as well as the healthcare industry, which can be used to shape health care policies. Methods We analyzed the searches related to neurological diseases and drugs used in neurology using the most popular search engines in the US, Google and Bing/Yahoo. Results We found that the most frequently searched diseases were common diseases such as dementia or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as medium frequency diseases with high social impact such as Parkinson’s disease, MS and ALS. The most frequently searched CNS drugs were generic drugs used for pain, followed by sleep disorders, dementia, ADHD, stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Regarding the interests of the healthcare industry, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, MS, ALS, meningitis, and hypersomnia received the higher advertising bids for neurological diseases, while painkillers and drugs for neuropathic pain, drugs for dementia or insomnia, and triptans had the highest advertising bidding prices. Conclusions Web searches reflect the interest of people and the healthcare industry, and are based either on the frequency or social impact of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pablo Villoslada
- University of California of San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail: ,
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Okumura A, Abe S, Nakazawa M, Ikeno M, Igarashi A, Takasu M, Shimizu T. Attitudes toward driver's licenses for people with epilepsy: 2012 versus 2014. Pediatr Int 2017; 59:185-189. [PMID: 27468704 DOI: 10.1111/ped.13104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We compared knowledge about and attitudes toward epilepsy and the issuing of driver's licenses to people with epilepsy among non-medical students before and after media controversies. METHODS The survey was performed in 2012 and 2014 using a structured questionnaire. Participants were non-medical students who attended a lecture on neurological diseases in children. The proportion of positive answers to each question in 2012 was compared with that in 2014. In addition, questions regarding attitudes toward driver's licenses were compared according to knowledge about car accidents linked to people with epilepsy. RESULTS More participants were familiar with epilepsy and had a favorable attitude toward epilepsy in 2014 than in 2012. In contrast, the proportion of participants who knew of car accidents linked to people with epilepsy was reduced in 2014 compared with 2012. The proportion of participants who did not think that severe punishment should be given to people with epilepsy if they caused a car accident decreased in 2014 among those without knowledge of car accidents. CONCLUSIONS Familiarity with and attitudes toward epilepsy were improved in 2014, whereas the decrease in proportion of positive answers on punishment among participants unfamiliar with car accidents suggests a latent worsening of public attitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihisa Okumura
- Department of Pediatrics, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinpei Abe
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Nakazawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Ikeno
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayuko Igarashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michihiko Takasu
- Department of Pediatrics, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Shimizu
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Quantifying the UK Online Interest in Substances of the EU Watchlist for Water Monitoring: Diclofenac, Estradiol, and the Macrolide Antibiotics. WATER 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/w8110542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Okumura A, Abe S, Kurahashi H, Takasu M, Ikeno M, Nakazawa M, Igarashi A, Shimizu T. Worsening of attitudes toward epilepsy following less influential media coverage of epilepsy-related car accidents: An infodemiological approach. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 64:206-211. [PMID: 27744246 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate changes in the attitudes of nonmedical university students toward epilepsy in 2015, the present study compared the results of questionnaire surveys from four different time periods: before media coverage of epilepsy-related car accidents (2008-2010), during a period of abundant media coverage (2011-2012), after media coverage (2013-2014), and after novel media coverage (2015). The nonmedical students that completed the questionnaire were divided into four groups: 2008-2010, 2011-2012, 2013-2014, and 2015. The rates of students that had read or heard about epilepsy decreased significantly in 2015 compared with those in 2013-2014. Attitudes toward epilepsy had also worsened in 2015. The rates of students that would not oppose their children playing with or attending school alongside children with epilepsy and those who thought that people with epilepsy should be hired in the same way as other people had decreased significantly in 2015 compared with those in 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Analyses of information-seeking behavior on the Internet showed that the increase in Google search volume and Wikipedia page views was much less in 2015 than in 2011 and 2012. These findings suggest that familiarity with epilepsy had worsened even after media coverage of novel epilepsy-related car accidents. This suggests that media coverage in 2015 was less influential than that in 2011 and 2012.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihisa Okumura
- Department of Pediatrics, Aichi Medical University, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Shinpei Abe
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | | | | | - Mitsuru Ikeno
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Mika Nakazawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Ayuko Igarashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Shimizu
- Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
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Krag A, Holmes GL. Diagnosing infantile spasms: Accuracy of the internet. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 64:239-241. [PMID: 27764735 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Infantile spasms, one of the catastrophic epilepsies, can be a diagnostic challenge since the clinical manifestations may be subtle and may mimic benign conditions. Because of the rarity of the condition, primary care physicians and pediatricians may never see a case of infantile spasms during their career and may be unfamiliar with the seizure semiology. This is a serious issue since there is evidence that early diagnosis and treatment may improve outcome. Patients and families are increasingly using the internet more than their physician as a source of medical information about epilepsy. The reliance on using the internet for diagnostic information raises concerns about the accuracy of posted material that has not undergone professional review. To assess the quality of information being obtained about infantile spasms, we reviewed written and video content addressing infantile spasms on the internet. A total of 135 websites and 156 videos were reviewed for accuracy. Using the search terms Infantile Spasms and West Syndrome, we report that the majority of the written and video information provided was accurate and provided important and pertinent information. We conclude that internet searches provide accurate and pragmatic information about infantile spasms that has the potential for reducing the delay between the onset of the spasms and medical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amara Krag
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Gregory L Holmes
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA.
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van der Lende M, Shmuely S, Thijs RD. Comment on falling status epilepticus mortality rates in England and Wales: 2001-2013. Epilepsia 2016; 57:1731-1732. [PMID: 27718242 DOI: 10.1111/epi.13555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sharon Shmuely
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands
| | - Roland D Thijs
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a devastating direct epilepsy-related cause of death. Although its occurrence has some risk factors, it is unanticipated and very traumatic to the families of affected patients. Effective preventive measures for SUDEP are lacking; therefore, efforts are directed at modifiable risk factors. The majority of caregivers of patients with epilepsy and SUDEP wish they would have known more about the topic before the terminal event. SUDEP is a difficult topic for physicians and clearly even more challenging to discuss with patients and caregivers. The pathophysiology of SUDEP is controversial, but awareness should be raised despite individual opinions. During the last decade SUDEP has received substantial attention, and efforts are being made to increase worldwide awareness. The American Epilepsy Society and Epilepsy Foundation Joint Task force, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network recommend educating patients about SUDEP. Education will potentially help meet treatment goals, promote better patient-physician rapport, decrease anxiety and fear, serve as a filter for inaccurate information, and lessen grief and blame in the families of patients affected by SUDEP. This article will cover a literature review on SUDEP, epidemiology, risk factors, proposed mechanism, potential interventions, physician practices and suggested measurements, and public websites designed to increase SUDEP awareness.
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Myers L, Jones J, Boesten N, Lancman M. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) on the Internet: Online representation of the disorder and frequency of search terms. Seizure 2016; 40:114-22. [PMID: 27394057 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Revised: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The nature of the symptoms associated with PNES require a multidisciplinary health team. There are too few professionals with an adequate understanding of PNES and therefore many are not able to provide patients with necessary information. In the age of the internet, it is not surprising that patients or caregivers might look for answers online. The purpose of this project was to investigate the online representation of PNES and search frequency for PNES and its associated terms. METHODS To determine online representation, searches of: Google®, twitter®, YouTube®, and Instagram® for "PNES" and associated terms were conducted. Websites, tweets, and films were classified by host and exclusivity of information. PNES and associated terms search frequency was determined through Google Trends®. RESULTS Professional and patient sites exclusively about PNES were outnumbered by sites that only mentioned PNES in fewer than three posts. Patients tended to favor less traditional hosting options than did professionals. On twitter®, different keyword preferences were identified for professionals and patients. On YouTube® there was a substantial selection of videos of which 22 were professionally produced. Google Trends®, revealed the terms most commonly used to search for this topic were in order: (1) "PNES;" (2) "NEAD;" and (3) "pseudoseizure." CONCLUSION A variety of professional and patient internet content about PNES can be found online. Professional sites offered accurate and empirically-validated information on the disorder and tended to use traditional hosting options. Future professional initiatives might consider novel hosting options and higher-frequency terms to reach their audience more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Myers
- Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 6 C, New York, NY 10017, United States of America.
| | - Jace Jones
- Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 6 C, New York, NY 10017, United States of America
| | | | - Marcelo Lancman
- Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 6 C, New York, NY 10017, United States of America
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41
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Why do people google movement disorders? An infodemiological study of information seeking behaviors. Neurol Sci 2016; 37:781-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-016-2501-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Lavi-Blau T, Ekstein D, Neufeld MY, Eyal S. Use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy and lactation: Type of information provided by searching Google. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 55:113-9. [PMID: 26773680 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Surveys among women with epilepsy (WWE) show that they receive their essential pregnancy-related information from many sources, including the internet. Our aim was to assess the types of websites provided by searching Google for the use of four antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy and lactation. The search was performed on 40 computers used by health-care professionals, on 40 computers used by nonhealth-care professionals, and on 5 computers used by WWE in Israel and on 8 computers used by nonhealth-care professionals in the U.S. On each computer, a Google search was conducted for term combinations that included one AED name ("carbamazepine","valproic acid", "lamotrigine", "levetiracetam", or "Keppra") and "Pregnancy", "Lactation", or "Breastfeeding". The top three and top ten websites retrieved in every search were mapped (a total of 45 and 150 websites, respectively, from each computer). Across all searches in English, on both U.S. and Israeli computers, the majority of websites listed among the first three and first ten results were those of independent health portals. The representation of the Epilepsy Foundation website was 10% or less, and only a few results were obtained from the NIH's general public-oriented MedlinePlus. In Hebrew, results included almost exclusively Israeli or Hebrew-translated websites. As in English, results from public-oriented, professionally-written websites in Hebrew accounted for less than 50% of entries. Overall, the availability of readable and high-quality information on AEDs used by pregnant and breastfeeding women is limited. Guiding patients towards accurate web resources can help them navigate among the huge amount of available online information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Lavi-Blau
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Dana Ekstein
- Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center of Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Miri Y Neufeld
- EEG and Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Sara Eyal
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Bragazzi NL, Bacigaluppi S, Robba C, Nardone R, Trinka E, Brigo F. Infodemiology of status epilepticus: A systematic validation of the Google Trends-based search queries. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 55:120-3. [PMID: 26773681 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
People increasingly use Google looking for health-related information. We previously demonstrated that in English-speaking countries most people use this search engine to obtain information on status epilepticus (SE) definition, types/subtypes, and treatment. Now, we aimed at providing a quantitative analysis of SE-related web queries. This analysis represents an advancement, with respect to what was already previously discussed, in that the Google Trends (GT) algorithm has been further refined and correlational analyses have been carried out to validate the GT-based query volumes. Google Trends-based SE-related query volumes were well correlated with information concerning causes and pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments. Google Trends can provide both researchers and clinicians with data on realities and contexts that are generally overlooked and underexplored by classic epidemiology. In this way, GT can foster new epidemiological studies in the field and can complement traditional epidemiological tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Robba
- Neurosciences Critical Care Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK; Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Public Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall i.T., Austria
| | - Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy; Department of Neurological, Biomedical, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
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Sentana-Lledo D, Barbu CM, Ngo MN, Wu Y, Sethuraman K, Levy MZ. Seasons, Searches, and Intentions: What The Internet Can Tell Us About The Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Epidemic. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:116-121. [PMID: 26474879 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) is once again prevalent in the United States. We investigated temporal patterns in Google search queries for bed bugs and co-occurring terms, and conducted in-person surveys to explore the intentions behind searches that included those terms. Searches for "bed bugs" rose steadily through 2011 and then plateaued, suggesting that the epidemic has reached an equilibrium in the United States. However, queries including terms that survey respondents associated strongly with having bed bugs (e.g., "exterminator," "remedies") continued to climb, while terms more closely associated with informational searches (e.g., "hotels," "about") fell. Respondents' rankings of terms and nonseasonal trends in Google search volume as assessed by a cosinor model were significantly correlated (Kendall's Tau-b P = 0.015). We find no evidence from Google Trends that the bed bug epidemic in the United States has reached equilibrium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sentana-Lledo
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 714 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA (; ; ; ; )
| | - Corentin M Barbu
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 714 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA (; ; ; ; ), UMR 211 - Agronomie, Agro Paris Tech, Avenue Lucien Bretigneres, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Michelle N Ngo
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000, AC#2239, Amherst, MA 01002 USA , and
| | - Yage Wu
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 714 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA (; ; ; ; )
| | - Karthik Sethuraman
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 714 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA (; ; ; ; )
| | - Michael Z Levy
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 714 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA (; ; ; ; ),
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Brigo F, Trinka E. Google search behavior for status epilepticus. Epilepsy Behav 2015; 49:146-9. [PMID: 25873438 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Millions of people surf the Internet every day as a source of health-care information looking for materials about symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and their possible adverse effects, or diagnostic procedures. Google is the most popular search engine and is used by patients and physicians to search for online health-related information. This study aimed to evaluate changes in Google search behavior occurring in English-speaking countries over time for the term "status epilepticus" (SE). METHODS Using Google Trends, data on global search queries for the term SE between the 1st of January 2004 and 31st of December 2014 were analyzed. Search volume numbers over time (downloaded as CSV datasets) were analyzed by applying the "health" category filter. RESULTS The research trends for the term SE remained fairly constant over time. The greatest search volume for the term SE was reported in the United States, followed by India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Germany. Most terms associated with the search queries were related to SE definition, symptoms, subtypes, and treatment. The volume of searches for some queries (nonconvulsive, focal, and refractory SE; SE definition; SE guidelines; SE symptoms; SE management; SE treatment) was enormously increased over time (search popularity has exceeded a 5000% growth since 2004). CONCLUSIONS Most people use search engines to look for the term SE to obtain information on its definition, subtypes, and management. The greatest search volume occurred not only in developed countries but also in developing countries where raising awareness about SE still remains a challenging task and where there is reduced public knowledge of epilepsy. Health information seeking (the extent to which people search for health information online) reflects the health-related information needs of Internet users for a specific disease. Google Trends shows that Internet users have a great demand for information concerning some aspects of SE (definition, subtypes, symptoms, treatment, and guidelines). Policy makers and neurological scientific societies have the responsibility to try to meet these information needs and to better target public information campaigns on SE to the general population. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Status Epilepticus".
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy; Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy.
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Public Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall.i.T., Austria
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Semigran HL, Linder JA, Gidengil C, Mehrotra A. Evaluation of symptom checkers for self diagnosis and triage: audit study. BMJ 2015; 351:h3480. [PMID: 26157077 PMCID: PMC4496786 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h3480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the diagnostic and triage accuracy of online symptom checkers (tools that use computer algorithms to help patients with self diagnosis or self triage). DESIGN Audit study. SETTING Publicly available, free symptom checkers. PARTICIPANTS 23 symptom checkers that were in English and provided advice across a range of conditions. 45 standardized patient vignettes were compiled and equally divided into three categories of triage urgency: emergent care required (for example, pulmonary embolism), non-emergent care reasonable (for example, otitis media), and self care reasonable (for example, viral upper respiratory tract infection). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES For symptom checkers that provided a diagnosis, our main outcomes were whether the symptom checker listed the correct diagnosis first or within the first 20 potential diagnoses (n=770 standardized patient evaluations). For symptom checkers that provided a triage recommendation, our main outcomes were whether the symptom checker correctly recommended emergent care, non-emergent care, or self care (n=532 standardized patient evaluations). RESULTS The 23 symptom checkers provided the correct diagnosis first in 34% (95% confidence interval 31% to 37%) of standardized patient evaluations, listed the correct diagnosis within the top 20 diagnoses given in 58% (55% to 62%) of standardized patient evaluations, and provided the appropriate triage advice in 57% (52% to 61%) of standardized patient evaluations. Triage performance varied by urgency of condition, with appropriate triage advice provided in 80% (95% confidence interval 75% to 86%) of emergent cases, 55% (47% to 63%) of non-emergent cases, and 33% (26% to 40%) of self care cases (P<0.001). Performance on appropriate triage advice across the 23 individual symptom checkers ranged from 33% (95% confidence interval 19% to 48%) to 78% (64% to 91%) of standardized patient evaluations. CONCLUSIONS Symptom checkers had deficits in both triage and diagnosis. Triage advice from symptom checkers is generally risk averse, encouraging users to seek care for conditions where self care is reasonable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Semigran
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Linder
- Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Courtney Gidengil
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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Web-based surveillance of public information needs for informing preconception interventions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122551. [PMID: 25879682 PMCID: PMC4399910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes can be minimized through the adoption of healthy lifestyles before pregnancy by women of childbearing age. Initiatives for promotion of preconception health may be difficult to implement. Internet can be used to build tailored health interventions through identification of the public's information needs. To this aim, we developed a semi-automatic web-based system for monitoring Google searches, web pages and activity on social networks, regarding preconception health. Methods Based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines and on the actual search behaviors of Italian Internet users, we defined a set of keywords targeting preconception care topics. Using these keywords, we analyzed the usage of Google search engine and identified web pages containing preconception care recommendations. We also monitored how the selected web pages were shared on social networks. We analyzed discrepancies between searched and published information and the sharing pattern of the topics. Results We identified 1,807 Google search queries which generated a total of 1,995,030 searches during the study period. Less than 10% of the reviewed pages contained preconception care information and in 42.8% information was consistent with ACOG guidelines. Facebook was the most used social network for sharing. Nutrition, Chronic Diseases and Infectious Diseases were the most published and searched topics. Regarding Genetic Risk and Folic Acid, a high search volume was not associated to a high web page production, while Medication pages were more frequently published than searched. Vaccinations elicited high sharing although web page production was low; this effect was quite variable in time. Conclusion Our study represent a resource to prioritize communication on specific topics on the web, to address misconceptions, and to tailor interventions to specific populations.
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Brigo F, Igwe SC, Nardone R, Lochner P, Tezzon F, Otte WM. Wikipedia and neurological disorders. J Clin Neurosci 2015; 22:1170-2. [PMID: 25890773 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Our aim was to evaluate Wikipedia page visits in relation to the most common neurological disorders by determining which factors are related to peaks in Wikipedia searches for these conditions. Millions of people worldwide use the internet daily as a source of health information. Wikipedia is a popular free online encyclopedia used by patients and physicians to search for health-related information. The following Wikipedia articles were considered: Alzheimer's disease; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Dementia; Epilepsy; Epileptic seizure; Migraine; Multiple sclerosis; Parkinson's disease; Stroke; Traumatic brain injury. We analyzed information regarding the total article views for 90 days and the rank of these articles among all those available in Wikipedia. We determined the highest search volume peaks to identify possible relation with online news headlines. No relation between incidence or prevalence of neurological disorders and the search volume for the related articles was found. Seven out of 10 neurological conditions showed relations in search volume peaks and news headlines. Six out of these seven peaks were related to news about famous people suffering from neurological disorders, especially those from showbusiness. Identification of discrepancies between disease burden and health seeking behavior on Wikipedia is useful in the planning of public health campaigns. Celebrities who publicly announce their neurological diagnosis might effectively promote awareness programs, increase public knowledge and reduce stigma related to diagnoses of neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, Verona 37134, Italy; Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy.
| | - Stanley C Igwe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki-Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy; Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Piergiorgio Lochner
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy
| | - Frediano Tezzon
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| | - Willem M Otte
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands; Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Brigo F, Igwe SC, Ausserer H, Nardone R, Tezzon F, Bongiovanni LG, Tinazzi M, Trinka E. Terminology of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsia 2015; 56:e21-5. [DOI: 10.1111/epi.12911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Section of Clinical Neurology; Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences; University of Verona; Verona Italy
- Department of Neurology; Franz Tappeiner Hospital; Merano Italy
| | - Stanley C. Igwe
- Department of Neuro-Psychiatry; Federal Teaching Hospital; Abakaliki Ebonyi State Nigeria
| | - Harald Ausserer
- Department of Neurology; Franz Tappeiner Hospital; Merano Italy
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology; Franz Tappeiner Hospital; Merano Italy
- Department of Neurology; Christian Doppler Klinic; Paracelsus Medical University, and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience; Salzburg Austria
| | - Frediano Tezzon
- Department of Neurology; Franz Tappeiner Hospital; Merano Italy
| | - Luigi Giuseppe Bongiovanni
- Section of Clinical Neurology; Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Michele Tinazzi
- Section of Clinical Neurology; Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology; Christian Doppler Klinic; Paracelsus Medical University, and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience; Salzburg Austria
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