Online public attention toward allergic rhinitis in Wuhan, China: Infodemiology study using Baidu index and meteorological data

Online information-seeking behavior of Iranian web users on Google about Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP): an infodemiology study

BACKGROUNDS

Previous studies have indicated that users' health information-seeking behavior can serve as a reflection of current health issues within a community. This study aimed to investigate the online information-seeking behavior of Iranian web users on Google about Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP).

METHODS

Google Trends (GTr) was utilized to collect big data from the internet searches conducted by Iranian web users. A focus group discussion was employed to identify users' selected keywords when searching for HSP. Additionally, keywords related to the disease's symptoms were selected based on recent clinical studies. All keywords were queried in GTr from January 1, 2012 to October 30, 2022. The outputs were saved in an Excel format and analyzed using SPSS.

RESULTS

The highest and lowest search rates of HSP were recorded in winter and summer, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between HSP search rates and the terms "joint pain" (P = 0.007), "vomiting" (P = 0.032), "hands and feet swelling" (P = 0.041) and "seizure" (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The findings were in accordance with clinical facts about HSP, such as its seasonal pattern and accompanying symptoms. It appears that the information-seeking behavior of Iranian users regarding HSP can provide valuable insights into the outbreak of this disease in Iran.

Common Allergens and Immune Responses Associated with Allergic Rhinitis in China

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic allergic disease of the upper respiratory system that affects approximately 10-40% of the global population. Due to the large number of plant pollen allergens with obvious seasonal variations, AR is common in China. AR is primarily caused by the abnormal regulation of the immune system. Its pathophysiological mechanism involves a series of immune cells and immune mediators, including cytokines. The present review summarizes the common allergens in China and the complex pathophysiological mechanism of AR. Additionally, host allergen contact, signal transduction, immune cell activation, cytokine release, and a series of inflammatory reactions are described according to their sequence of occurrence.

Did the COVID-19 pandemic impact urticaria information-seeking behavior in China? A retrospective longitudinal study

Purpose

To investigate information-seeking behavior related to urticaria before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Methods

Search query data for terms related to urticaria were retrieved using Baidu Index database from October 23, 2017 to April 23, 2022, and daily COVID-19 vaccination doses data were obtained from the website of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the 23 eligible urticaria search terms, four urticaria themes were generated as classification, symptom, etiology, and treatment of urticarial, respectively. Baidu Search Index (BSI) value for each term were extracted to analyze and compare the spatial and temporal distribution of online search behavior for urticaria before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and to also explore the correlation between search query and daily COVID-19 vaccination doses.

Results

The classification of urticaria accounted for nearly half of the urticaria queries on the internet. Regular seasonal patterns of BSI were observed in urticaria-related online search, by attaining its highest level in spring and summer and lowest level in winter. The BSIs of all urticaria themes significantly increased after the COVID-19 pandemic than that before the pandemic (all P<0.05). Xizang, Qinghai and Ningxia are the most active geographical areas for increased urticaria-searching activities after the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also a significant positive correlation between daily BSIs and daily COVID-19 vaccination doses in each urticaria theme. Cross-correlation analysis found that the search of symptom, etiology, and treatment attained their strongest correlation with daily COVID-19 vaccination doses at 11-27 days before the injection of vaccine, imply vaccination hesitation related to concerns of urticaria.

Conclusions

This study used the internet as a proxy to provide evidence of public search interest and spatiotemporal characteristics of urticaria, and revealed that the search behavior of urticaria have increased significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccination. It is anticipated that the findings about such increase in search behavior, as well as the behavior of urticaria-related vaccine-hesitancy, will help guide public health education and policy regulation.