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. 2022 Nov 24;40(3):134-139.
doi: 10.1159/000527150. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Online Search Patterns about Vaccination: A National Study

Inês Silva Costa  1 , Madalena Meira Nisa  1 , Lígia M Ferreira  1
Affiliations

Online Search Patterns about Vaccination: A National Study

Inês Silva Costa et al. Port J Public Health. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Introduction: Google Trends is an online metadata platform that measures the relative search volume of every topic in online search engines. In medical settings, this behavior has been associated with active changes in people's perceptions and search for healthcare. This study aimed to evaluate the online search patterns of Portuguese extra-program and risk-based vaccination.

Methods: Analysis of the relative search volume was performed for extra-program and risk-based vaccines, in every Portuguese district between 2006 and 2021. Relative search volume was represented between 0 and 100 (highest interest in the query).

Results: Rotavirus vaccine was consistently the most searched, followed by BCG and flu, the last of which, with abnormal peaks of search in November 2009 and October 2020. We registered a significant increase in the search for every vaccine in the last 5 years (p < 0.01). Particularly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a more abrupt increase was registered for the flu vaccine, but most importantly for BCG (3,0[69,9] vs. 9,0[528,0]). Lisboa and Porto are the only Portuguese districts where percentual research is spread across all types of vaccines. On the other hand, in Portalegre, 84% of total searches correspond to BCG.

Discussion and conclusion: The recent increase in the interest in vaccination may translate into the investment of health professionals in primary prevention measures. However, the mediatic impact of pandemics is not neglectable. Health professionals must fight misinformation as it may have happened with the increasing interest in BCG, probably due to the protective association proposed with the infection by SARS-CoV-2.

Introdução: O Google Trends é uma plataforma que mede a Pesquisa Média Relativa dos temas procurados em motores de busca online. Em medicina foram já associados a mudanças efetivas na perceção e procura de cuidados de saúde. Pretendeu-se objetivar o padrão da pesquisa online das vacinas extra-programa nacional de vacinação e das vacinas para grupos de risco.

Materiais e métodos: Realizámos uma análise da variação da pesquisa para as vacinas extra-programa e para grupos de risco, em todos os distritos portugueses, entre 2006 e 2021. A pesquisa média relativa foi representada entre 0 e 100 (interesse máximo no tópico).

Resultados: A vacina antirotavírus foi consistentemente mais procurada, seguida pela BCG e gripe, esta última com picos em novembro de 2009 e outubro de 2020. Registámos um aumento significativo na pesquisa de todas as vacinas nos últimos 5 anos (p < 0,01). O mesmo aconteceu durante a pandemia COVID-19, mais abrupto para a vacina da gripe, mas sobretudo para o BCG (3,0[69,9] versus 9,0[528,0]). Lisboa, Porto e Braga são os distritos com menor heterogeneidade na pesquisa entre as várias vacinas, ao contrário de Portalegre, com 84% a corresponder à pesquisa sobre BCG.

Discussão e conclusão: O aumento do interesse sobre vacinação poderá traduzir o investimento dos profissionais de saúde nas medidas de prevenção primária. No entanto, não é negligenciável o impacto que a pandemia possa ter tido na mediatização global da vacinação. Os profissionais de saúde devem combater a desinformação, como poderá ter acontecido com a pesquisa sobre BCG, eventualmente pela associação protetora proposta, à infeção a SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Health literacy; Primary prevention; Search engines; Vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Relative search volume, per vaccine type, between 2006 and 2021.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Relative search volume, per vaccine type, in Portugal and worldwide, between 2006 and 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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