Using search engine query data to track pharmaceutical utilization: a study of statins.
OBJECTIVE
To examine temporal and geographic associations between Google queries for health information and healthcare utilization benchmarks.


METHODS
Retrospective longitudinal study.


METHODS
Using Google Trends and Google Insights for Search data, the search terms Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium; Pfizer, Ann Arbor, MI) and simvastatin were evaluated for change over time and for association with Lipitor revenues. The relationship between query data and community-based resource use per Medicare beneficiary was assessed for 35 US metropolitan areas.


RESULTS
Google queries for Lipitor significantly decreased from January 2004 through June 2009 and queries for simvastatin significantly increased (P <.001 for both), particularly after Lipitor came off patent (P <.001 for change in slope). The mean number of Google queries for Lipitor correlated (r = 0.98) with the percentage change in Lipitor global revenues from 2004 to 2008 (P <.001). Query preference for Lipitor over simvastatin was positively associated (r = 0.40) with a community's use of Medicare services. For every 1% increase in utilization of Medicare services in a community, there was a 0.2-unit increase in the ratio of Lipitor queries to simvastatin queries in that community (P = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
Specific search engine queries for medical information correlate with pharmaceutical revenue and with overall healthcare utilization in a community. This suggests that search query data can track community-wide characteristics in healthcare utilization and have the potential for informing payers and policy makers regarding trends in utilization.
Schuster
Nathaniel M
NM
School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Rogers
Mary A M
MA
McMahon
Laurence F
LF
D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057386:Search Engine / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D055553:Prescription Drugs