title: How often people google for vaccination: Qualitative and quantitative insights from a systematic search of the web-based activities using Google Trends.
abstract: Nowadays, more and more people surf the Internet seeking health-related information. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can represent an important opportunities in the field of Public Health and vaccinology. The aim of our current research was to investigate a) how often people search the Internet for vaccination-related information, b) if this search is spontaneous or induced by media, and c) which kind of information is in particular searched. We used Google Trends (GT) for monitoring the interest for preventable infections and related vaccines. When looking for vaccine preventable infectious diseases, vaccine was not a popular topic, with some valuable exceptions, including the vaccine against Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccines-related queries represented approximately one third of the volumes regarding preventable infections, greatly differing among the vaccines. However, the interest for vaccines is increasing throughout time: in particular, users seek information about possible vaccine-related side-effects. The five most searched vaccines are those against 1) influenza; 2) meningitis; 3) diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus; 4) yellow fever; and 5) chickenpox. ICTs can have a positive influence on parental vaccine-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and vaccination willingness. GT can be used for monitoring the interest for vaccinations and the main information searched.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , Postgraduate School in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola Luigi
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Bragazzi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , Postgraduate School in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barberis
authors.affiliation: b Local Health Unit 3 of Genoa, Hygiene and Public Health Unit , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosselli
authors.affiliation: c Department of Experimental Medicine , Postgraduate School in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gianfredi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Experimental Medicine , University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nucci
authors.affiliation: e Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.affiliation: e Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.affiliation: f Department of Biomedical and Metabolic Sciences and Neurosciences , School of Community Medicine, University of Modena e Reggio Emilia , Modena , Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martucci
authors.affiliation: g Department of Health Sciences , Section of History of Medicine and Ethics, University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martini
mesh_terms: D054626:Consumer Health Information; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Google Trends; Web 2.0; vaccination