Relationship Between State-Level Google Online Search Volume and Cancer Incidence in the United States: Retrospective Study

Conclusions: Cancer incidence is correlated with online search volume at the state level. Search patterns were temporally associated with cancer awareness months and celebrity announcements. Online searches reflect public awareness. Advancing understanding of online search patterns could augment traditional epidemiologic surveillance, provide opportunities for targeted patient engagement, and allow public information campaigns to be evaluated in ways previously unable to be measured.
Source: Journal of Medical Internet Research - Category: General Medicine Authors: Source Type: research