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Porcu G, Chen YX, Bonaugurio AS, Villa S, Riva L, Messina V, Bagarella G, Maistrello M, Leoni O, Cereda D, Matone F, Gori A, Corrao G. Web-based surveillance of respiratory infection outbreaks: retrospective analysis of Italian COVID-19 epidemic waves using Google Trends. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1141688. [PMID: 37275497 PMCID: PMC10233021 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1141688] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Large-scale diagnostic testing has been proven insufficient to promptly monitor the spread of the Coronavirus disease 2019. Electronic resources may provide better insight into the early detection of epidemics. We aimed to retrospectively explore whether the Google search volume has been useful in detecting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus outbreaks early compared to the swab-based surveillance system. Methods The Google Trends website was used by applying the research to three Italian regions (Lombardy, Marche, and Sicily), covering 16 million Italian citizens. An autoregressive-moving-average model was fitted, and residual charts were plotted to detect outliers in weekly searches of five keywords. Signals that occurred during periods labelled as free from epidemics were used to measure Positive Predictive Values and False Negative Rates in anticipating the epidemic wave occurrence. Results Signals from "fever," "cough," and "sore throat" showed better performance than those from "loss of smell" and "loss of taste." More than 80% of true epidemic waves were detected early by the occurrence of at least an outlier signal in Lombardy, although this implies a 20% false alarm signals. Performance was poorer for Sicily and Marche. Conclusion Monitoring the volume of Google searches can be a valuable tool for early detection of respiratory infectious disease outbreaks, particularly in areas with high access to home internet. The inclusion of web-based syndromic keywords is promising as it could facilitate the containment of COVID-19 and perhaps other unknown infectious diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Porcu
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Yu Xi Chen
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Stella Bonaugurio
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Villa
- Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Riva
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- PoliS Lombardia, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzina Messina
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- PoliS Lombardia, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Bagarella
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
- Agency for Health Protection of the Metropolitan Area of Milan, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Maistrello
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
- Local Health Unit of Melegnano and Martesana, Milan, Italy
| | - Olivia Leoni
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
| | - Danilo Cereda
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Gori
- ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Luigi Sacco Hospital – University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Corrao
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Directorate General for Health, Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy
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Laubach L, Chiang B, Sharma V, Jacobs J, Krumme JW, Kuester V. Alternative and Adjunct Treatments for Scoliosis: A Google Trends Analysis of Public Popularity Compared With Scientific Literature. Cureus 2023; 15:e38682. [PMID: 37288184 PMCID: PMC10243736 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.38682] [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] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose As Google searches have often been found to provide inaccurate information regarding various treatments for orthopedic conditions, it becomes important to analyze search trends to understand what treatments are most popularly considered and the quality of information available. We sought to compare the public interest in popular adjunct/alternative scoliosis treatments to the published literature on these topics and assess any temporal trends in the public interest in these treatments. Methods The study authors compiled the most common adjunct/alternative treatments for scoliosis on PubMed. Chiropractic manipulation, Schroth exercises, physical therapy, pilates, and yoga, along with "scoliosis," were each entered into Google Trends, collected from 2004 to 2021. A linear regression analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was done to determine whether there was a linear relationship between Google Trends' popularity and PubMed publication data. The seasonal popularity of the terms was assessed using locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) regression. Results Google Trends and publication frequency linear regression curves were different for chiropractic manipulation (p < 0.001), Schroth exercises (p < 0.001), physical therapy (p < 0.001), and pilates (p = 0.003). Chiropractic manipulation (p < 0.001), Schroth exercises (p = 0.003), and physical therapy (p < 0.001) had positive trends, and yoga (p < 0.001) had a negative trend. Chiropractic manipulation and yoga were more popular in the summer and winter months. Conclusion Google Trends can provide orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals with valuable information on which treatments are gaining popularity with the public, so physicians may specifically inform themselves prior to patient encounters, leading to more productive shared decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Laubach
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, USA
| | - Benjamin Chiang
- General Surgery, Riverside University Health System Medical Center, Riverside, USA
| | - Viraj Sharma
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, USA
| | - Jonathon Jacobs
- Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, USA
| | - John W Krumme
- Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Leawood, USA
| | - Victoria Kuester
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, USA
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Chen J, Mi H, Fu J, Zheng H, Zhao H, Yuan R, Guo H, Zhu K, Zhang Y, Lyu H, Zhang Y, She N, Ren X. Construction and validation of a COVID-19 pandemic trend forecast model based on Google Trends data for smell and taste loss. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1025658. [PMID: 36530657 PMCID: PMC9751448 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1025658] [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: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To explore the role of smell and taste changes in preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to build a forecast model for trends in COVID-19 prediction based on Google Trends data for smell and taste loss. Methods Data on confirmed COVID-19 cases from 6 January 2020 to 26 December 2021 were collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The keywords "loss of smell" and "loss of taste" were used to search the Google Trends platform. We constructed a transfer function model for multivariate time-series analysis and to forecast confirmed cases. Results From 6 January 2020 to 28 November 2021, a total of 99 weeks of data were analyzed. When the delay period was set from 1 to 3 weeks, the input sequence (Google Trends of loss of smell and taste data) and response sequence (number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases per week) were significantly correlated (P < 0.01). The transfer function model showed that worldwide and in India, the absolute error of the model in predicting the number of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases in the following 3 weeks ranged from 0.08 to 3.10 (maximum value 100; the same below). In the United States, the absolute error of forecasts for the following 3 weeks ranged from 9.19 to 16.99, and the forecast effect was relatively accurate. For global data, the results showed that when the last point of the response sequence was at the midpoint of the uptrend or downtrend (25 July 2021; 21 November 2021; 23 May 2021; and 12 September 2021), the absolute error of the model forecast value for the following 4 weeks ranged from 0.15 to 5.77. When the last point of the response sequence was at the extreme point (2 May 2021; 29 August 2021; 20 June 2021; and 17 October 2021), the model could accurately forecast the trend in the number of confirmed cases after the extreme points. Our developed model could successfully predict the development trends of COVID-19. Conclusion Google Trends for loss of smell and taste could be used to accurately forecast the development trend of COVID-19 cases 1-3 weeks in advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingguo Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hao Mi
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinyu Fu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haitian Zheng
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongyue Zhao
- Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Yuan
- Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hanwei Guo
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kang Zhu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Lyu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yitong Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ningning She
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyong Ren
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China,*Correspondence: Xiaoyong Ren
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Saegner T, Austys D. Forecasting and Surveillance of COVID-19 Spread Using Google Trends: Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12394. [PMID: 36231693 PMCID: PMC9566212 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The probability of future Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 waves remains high, thus COVID-19 surveillance and forecasting remains important. Online search engines harvest vast amounts of data from the general population in real time and make these data publicly accessible via such tools as Google Trends (GT). Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the literature about possible use of GT for COVID-19 surveillance and prediction of its outbreaks. We collected and reviewed articles about the possible use of GT for COVID-19 surveillance published in the first 2 years of the pandemic. We resulted in 54 publications that were used in this review. The majority of the studies (83.3%) included in this review showed positive results of the possible use of GT for forecasting COVID-19 outbreaks. Most of the studies were performed in English-speaking countries (61.1%). The most frequently used keyword was "coronavirus" (53.7%), followed by "COVID-19" (31.5%) and "COVID" (20.4%). Many authors have made analyses in multiple countries (46.3%) and obtained the same results for the majority of them, thus showing the robustness of the chosen methods. Various methods including long short-term memory (3.7%), random forest regression (3.7%), Adaboost algorithm (1.9%), autoregressive integrated moving average, neural network autoregression (1.9%), and vector error correction modeling (1.9%) were used for the analysis. It was seen that most of the publications with positive results (72.2%) were using data from the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, the search volumes reduced even though the incidence peaked. In most countries, the use of GT data showed to be beneficial for forecasting and surveillance of COVID-19 spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Saegner
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
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Kow RY, Mohamad Rafiai N, Ahmad Alwi AA, Low CL, Ahmad MW, Zakaria Z, Zulkifly AH. COVID-19 Infodemiology: Association Between Google Search and Vaccination in Malaysian Population. Cureus 2022; 14:e29515. [PMID: 36299936 PMCID: PMC9588419 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In light of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vaccination is one of the most important defensive strategies in combating the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Vaccine hesitancy or anti-vaccination attitude has become a barrier to the nationwide vaccination program, potentially sabotaging the effectiveness of vaccination. Thus far, Google Trends (GT) has been used extensively for monitoring information-seeking behavior during the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the association between Google search, the vaccination rate, and the number of vaccinated and infected cases among the Malaysian population. Material and method GT’s customizable geographic and temporal filters were applied to include results for predetermined keywords from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. Both Malay and English languages were used to reflect the multi-racial and multi-lingual community in Malaysia. The search volume index (SVI) derived was compared with the numbers of vaccinated and infected cases which were extracted from the open-access database (COVIDNOW in Malaysia) within the same period. Both analyses were performed independently by two authors to ensure accuracy of the data extraction process. A descriptive analysis was used to compare GT analyses and the number of daily vaccinations and positive COVID-19 cases. Results The information-seeking behavior in the public fluctuated from time to time. The interest surged during the initiation of vaccination program and upon the outbreak of COVID-19 in Malaysia. The surge in interest prior to the peak of vaccination rate also indicated that the public tended to get information online prior to getting the vaccines. Conclusion This observational study illustrates the ability of GT to monitor the interest of vaccination among the Malaysian population during the pandemic. By monitoring the dynamic changes in Google Trends, healthcare authorities can get a glimpse of public perceptions such as attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine, hence potentially identify and stymie any dangerous online anti-vaccination rhetoric swiftly.
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Ilias I, Milionis C, Koukkou E. COVID-19 and thyroid disease: An infodemiological pilot study. World J Methodol 2022; 12:99-106. [PMID: 35721248 PMCID: PMC9157630 DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v12.i3.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Google Trends searches for symptoms and/or diseases may reflect actual disease epidemiology. Recently, Google Trends searches for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated terms have been linked to the epidemiology of COVID-19. Some studies have linked COVID-19 with thyroid disease.
AIM To assess COVID-19 cases per se vs COVID-19-associated Google Trends searches and thyroid-associated Google Trends searches.
METHODS We collected data on worldwide weekly Google Trends searches regarding “COVID-19”, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)”, “coronavirus”, “smell”, “taste”, “cough”, “thyroid”, “thyroiditis”, and “subacute thyroiditis” for 92 wk and worldwide weekly COVID-19 cases' statistics in the same time period. The study period was split in half (approximately corresponding to the preponderance of different SARS-COV-2 virus variants) and in each time period we performed cross-correlation analysis and mediation analysis.
RESULTS Significant positive cross-correlation function values were noted in both time periods. More in detail, COVID-19 cases per se were found to be associated with no lag with Google Trends searches for COVID-19 symptoms in the first time period and in the second time period to lead searches for symptoms, COVID-19 terms, and thyroid terms. COVID-19 cases per se were associated with thyroid-related searches in both time periods. In the second time period, the effect of “COVID-19” searches on “thyroid’ searches was significantly mediated by COVID-19 cases (P = 0.048).
CONCLUSION Searches for a non-specific symptom or COVID-19 search terms mostly lead Google Trends thyroid-related searches, in the second time period. This time frame/sequence particularly in the second time period (noted by the preponderance of the SARS-COV-2 delta variant) lends some credence to associations of COVID-19 cases per se with (apparent) thyroid disease (via searches for them).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Ilias
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens GR-11521, Greece
| | - Charalampos Milionis
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens GR-11521, Greece
| | - Eftychia Koukkou
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens GR-11521, Greece
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The national burden of scabies in Germany: a population-based approach using Internet search engine data. Infection 2022; 50:915-923. [PMID: 35133608 PMCID: PMC9338126 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-022-01763-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Scabies is a World Health Organization-defined neglected tropical disease and a growing public health issue worldwide. It is difficult to obtain reliable data on prevalence due to the lack of standardized tests. The aim of this study was to assess scabies online search behavior in Germany to identify local differences using Google search volume. METHODS Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to investigate the scabies-related search volume for Germany as a whole, its 16 federal states, and 15 large cities for the period from January 2016 to December 2019. The identified search terms were qualitatively categorized and critically analyzed. RESULTS A total of 572 keywords with an overall search volume of 11,414,180 searches regarding scabies were identified in Germany. The number of searches was higher in winter than in summer, with a national peak in March 2018. Around 30.6% of the searches regarding scabies therapy (n = 978,420) were related to home remedies. Regarding body localization, most searches focused on the whole body (n = 109,050), followed by head (n = 89,360) and the genital area (n = 28,640). CONCLUSIONS The analysis of Google search data provides an overview of the populations' interest regarding scabies. The analysis can detect local peaks and assess the relevance of scabies at individual localizations of the body. The study highlighted current possible shortcomings in the therapy of scabies. It also underlined the importance of improving awareness regarding scabies so that affected individuals can consult a doctor earlier for treatment.
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Ahmed S, Abid MA, Santos de Oliveira MH, Ahmed ZA, Siddiqui A, Siddiqui I, Jafri L, Lippi G. Ups and Downs of COVID-19: Can We Predict the Future? Local Analysis with Google Trends for Forecasting the Burden of COVID-19 in Pakistan. EJIFCC 2021; 32:421-431. [PMID: 35046760 PMCID: PMC8751396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aim to study the utility of Google Trends search history data for demonstrating if a correlation may exist between web-based information and actual coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, as well as if such data can be used to forecast patterns of disease spikes. PATIENTS & METHODS Weekly data of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan was retrieved from online COVID-19 data banks for a period of 60 weeks. Search history related to COVID-19, coronavirus and the most common symptoms of disease was retrieved from Google Trends during the same period. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the two data sets. Search terms were adjusted for time-lag over weeks, to find the highest cross-correlation for each of the search terms. RESULTS Search terms of 'fever' and 'cough' were the most commonly searched online, followed by coronavirus and COVID. The highest peak correlations with the weekly case series, with a 1-week backlog, was noted for loss of smell and loss of taste. The combined model yielded a modest performance for forecasting positive cases. The linear regression model revealed loss of smell (adjusted R2 of 0.7) with significant 1-week, 2-week and 3-week lagged time series, as the best predictor of weekly positive case counts. CONCLUSIONS Our local analysis of Pakistan-based data seemingly confirms that Google trends can be used as an important tool for anticipating and predicting pandemic patterns and pre-hand preparedness in such unprecedented pandemic crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibtain Ahmed
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Abbas Abid
- Section of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ayra Siddiqui
- Medical College, Aga Khan University. Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Imran Siddiqui
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Lena Jafri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan,Corresponding author: Dr. Lena Jafri Associate Professor & Section Head Chemical Pathology Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine The Aga Khan University Pakistan Phone: 92-213-4861927 E-mail:
| | - Giuseppe Lippi
- Section of Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Maccarone MC, Kamioka H, Cheleschi S, Tenti S, Masiero S, Kardeş S. Italian and Japanese public attention toward balneotherapy in the COVID-19 era. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:61781-61789. [PMID: 34185269 PMCID: PMC8239328 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15058-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Italian and Japanese public widely use balneotherapy. The population interest in balneotherapy in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) era should be investigated. Therefore, we aimed to exploit Google Trends analysis, as a measure of peoples' interest in balneotherapy, in two countries, Italy and Japan. In this infodemiology study, Google Trends was queried for the lay terms widely used by the Italian population to refer to the balneotherapy setting (terme + termale) and by the Japanese to refer to the bathing place and balneotherapy facilities ( + スパ). The internet searches in 2020 were compared to overlapping time spans in 2016-2019 and were correlated with new confirmed cases/deaths. This study demonstrated that from February 23 to June 20, 2020, and from October 4 to December 26, 2020, the internet searches of the Italian words corresponding to balneotherapy were statistically significantly decreased; however, the internet searches were not significantly different in June 21 to October 3, 2020, compared to overlapping time spans in 2016-2019 in Italy. The study also showed that from March 15 to September 5, 2020, and from November 29 to December 26, 2020, the internet searches of the Japanese words corresponding to balneotherapy were statistically significantly decreased; however, the internet searches were significantly increased in September 13 to November 7, 2020, and were not significantly different in November 8 to 28, 2020, compared to overlapping time spans in 2016-2019 in Japan. There were significant negative correlations between the relative search volume and number of new cases (rho=-0.634; p<0.001)/deaths (rho=-0.856; p<0.001) in Italy and the number of new deaths (rho=-0.348; p=0.012) in Japan. Population interest in balneotherapy has changed in the COVID-19 era both in Italy and Japan. During the early stage of pandemic (March to June), the interest was lower. After this early stage, the interest showed a recovery in both countries. In Italy, the population interest reached to its prior levels in late June through early October, with a peak in August. In Japan, the recovery exceeded the prior 4-year levels in mid-September through early November. Then, both countries demonstrated a decline in interest: began in early October in Italy and late November in Japan. This information would allow us to understand/address the population response in the pandemic in respect of the balneotherapy and would guide the preparedness of healthcare providers and planners both in this pandemic and future similar situations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hiroharu Kamioka
- Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sara Cheleschi
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Sara Tenti
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Stefano Masiero
- Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Sinan Kardeş
- Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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The relationship between Google search interest for pulmonary symptoms and COVID-19 cases using dynamic conditional correlation analysis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14387. [PMID: 34257381 PMCID: PMC8277766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93836-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the monitoring and predictive value of web-based symptoms (fever, cough, dyspnea) searches for COVID-19 spread. Daily search interests from Turkey, Italy, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom were obtained from Google Trends (GT) between January 1, 2020, and August 31, 2020. In addition to conventional correlational models, we studied the time-varying correlation between GT search and new case reports; we used dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) and sliding windows correlation models. We found time-varying correlations between pulmonary symptoms on GT and new cases to be significant. The DCC model proved more powerful than the sliding windows correlation model. This model also provided better at time-varying correlations (r ≥ 0.90) during the first wave of the pandemic. We used a root means square error (RMSE) approach to attain symptom-specific shift days and showed that pulmonary symptom searches on GT should be shifted separately. Web-based search interest for pulmonary symptoms of COVID-19 is a reliable predictor of later reported cases for the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Illness-specific symptom search interest on GT can be used to alert the healthcare system to prepare and allocate resources needed ahead of time.
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Verma R, Ramphul K, Kumar N, Lohana P. Investigating the impact of search results for fever, headache, cough, diarrhea, and nausea on the incidence of COVID-19 in India using Google Trends. ACTA BIO-MEDICA : ATENEI PARMENSIS 2021; 92:e2021242. [PMID: 33988132 PMCID: PMC8182587 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92i2.11754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Renuka Verma
- Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Punjab, India.
| | - Kamleshun Ramphul
- Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.
| | - Nomesh Kumar
- Liaquat University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jamshroo, Pakistan.
| | - Petras Lohana
- Liaquat University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jamshroo, Pakistan.
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Domnich A, Cambiaggi M, Vasco A, Maraniello L, Ansaldi F, Baldo V, Bonanni P, Calabrò GE, Costantino C, de Waure C, Gabutti G, Restivo V, Rizzo C, Vitale F, Grassi R. Attitudes and Beliefs on Influenza Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Representative Italian Survey. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E711. [PMID: 33266212 PMCID: PMC7712959 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The last 2019/20 northern hemisphere influenza season overlapped with the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Italy was the first western country where severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread to a significant extent. In this representative cross-sectional survey, we aimed to describe some opinions and attitudes of the Italian general population towards both influenza vaccination and the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify potential modifiers of the decision-making process regarding the uptake of the 2020/21 influenza vaccine. A total of 2543 responses were analyzed. Although most (74.8%) participants valued influenza vaccination positively and declared that it should be mandatory, some misconceptions around influenza persist. The general practitioner was the main source of trusted information on influenza vaccines, while social networks were judged to be the least reliable. Younger and less affluent individuals, subjects not vaccinated in the previous season, and those living in smaller communities showed lower odds of receiving the 2020/21 season influenza vaccination. However, the COVID-19 pandemic may have positively influenced the propensity of being vaccinated against 2020/21 seasonal influenza. In order to increase influenza vaccination coverage rates multidisciplinary targeted interventions are needed. The role of general practitioners remains crucial in increasing influenza vaccine awareness and acceptance by effective counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Filippo Ansaldi
- Azienda Ligure Sanitaria, 16121 Genoa, Italy;
- Planning and Prevention Unit, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Baldo
- Department of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Public Health Section, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy;
| | - Paolo Bonanni
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Giovanna Elisa Calabrò
- Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- VIHTALI (Value in Health Technology and Academy for Leadership & Innovation), Spin-Off of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Costantino
- Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (C.C.); (V.R.); (F.V.)
| | - Chiara de Waure
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Gabutti
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo Restivo
- Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (C.C.); (V.R.); (F.V.)
| | - Caterina Rizzo
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Multifactorial and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy;
| | - Francesco Vitale
- Section of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (C.C.); (V.R.); (F.V.)
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