title: Comparing burden of dermatologic disease to search interest on google trends.
abstract: Google Trends is a publicly available resource for comparing Internet search query frequency and trends interest in queries over time. The tool provides country, region, and city-specific data for term search volume on Google Search. Our study sought to compare the relative search interest to the burden of disease for the fifteen skin conditions studied by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 project. Searches on Google Trends were conducted by using the most inclusive terms and true ICD code definitions as possible for the skin conditions studied. We report that relative interest on Google Trends did largely correlate to burden of disease reported by the GBD 2010 study, though some conditions were either underrepresented or overrepresented. Acne and herpes were the most Googled skin disease terms. This study provides further insight into what may be the most burdensome skin diseases because those with more burdensome diseases likely sought out information on their condition.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whitsitt
authors.forename: Chante
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karimkhani
authors.forename: Lindsay N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Boyers
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Department of Dermatology,Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Dermatology Service, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, US Department of Veteran Affairs. robert.dellavalle@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dellavalle
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D057225:Data Mining / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057386:Search Engine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology