Public interest in Raynaud's phenomenon: A Google Trends analysis

Dermatol Ther. 2020 Nov;33(6):e14017. doi: 10.1111/dth.14017. Epub 2020 Aug 6.

Abstract

Raynaud's phenomenon is a common disorder affecting body extremities and other vascular beds. As infodemiological methods have developed, online search tools could be used to explore the public interest of the disease. The study aimed to determine the annual trend, seasonal pattern, and associated topics of Raynaud's phenomenon. Google Trends was used to collect the data. "Raynaud syndrome" was selected as the search term. Data on monthly relative search volume (RSV) were collected from four selected countries (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand) and globally. Related topics were obtained, and annual-related topics were also collected for analysis. The maximum RSV appeared in January 2019, and the minimum value was observed in August 2011. The peak for RSV occurred in winter, and the bottom appeared in summer. In top related topics, "Maurice Raynaud" was the most related. In rising related topics, disease manifestations and autoimmune connective diseases were highly concerned. For annual-related topics, associated diseases were attracting more attention over time. The population is interested in related diseases, pathogenesis, and treatment. There was a peak in winter for searching and supported the importance of season variation on the impact of Raynaud's phenomenon.

Keywords: Google Trends; Raynaud's phenomenon; infodemiological study; public interest.

MeSH terms

  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Raynaud Disease* / diagnosis
  • Raynaud Disease* / epidemiology