title: Know your market: use of online query tools to quantify trends in patient information-seeking behavior for varicose vein treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze Internet search data to characterize the temporal and geographic interest of Internet users in the United States in varicose vein treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1, 2004, to September 1, 2012, the Google Trends tool was used to analyze query data for "varicose vein treatment" to identify individuals seeking treatment information for varicose veins. The term "varicose vein treatment" returned a search volume index (SVI), representing the search frequency relative to the total search volume during a specific time interval and region. Linear regression analysis and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance were employed to characterize search results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Search traffic for varicose vein treatment increased by 520% over the 104-month study period. There was an annual mean increase of 28% (range, -18%-100%; standard deviation [SD], 35%), with a statistically significant linear increase in average yearly SVI over time (R(2) = 0.94, P < .0001). All years showed positive growth in mean SVI except for 2008 (18% decrease). There were statistically significant differences in SVI by month (Kruskal-Wallis, P < .0001) with significantly higher mean SVI compared with other months in May (190% increase; range, 26%-670%; SD, 15%) and June (209% increase; range, 35%-700%; SD, 20%). The southern United States showed significantly higher search traffic than all other regions (Tukey-Kramer, P < .00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There have been significant increases in Internet search traffic related to varicose vein treatment in the past 8 years. Reflected in this trend is an annual peak in search traffic in the late spring months with an overall geographic bias toward southern states. Rigorous analysis of Internet search queries for medical procedures may prove useful to guide the efficient use of limited resources and marketing dollars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Electronic address: asheesh.harsha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Asheesh K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Harsha
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
authors.forename: J Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
authors.forename: S William
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
mesh_terms: D057225:Data Mining; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000639:trends; D063005:Health Information Systems / Q000639:trends*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000639:trends*; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000639:trends; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057386:Search Engine / Q000639:trends*; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: ANOVA; GIS; Google Insights for Search; SD; SVI; analysis of variance; search volume index; standard deviation