scholarly journals Examining the Trends in Online Health Information–Seeking Behavior About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Singapore: Analysis of Data From Google Trends and the Global Burden of Disease Study

10.2196/19307 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. e19307
Author(s):  
Yang Fang ◽  
Thomas A Shepherd ◽  
Helen E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Disease Study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally, and timely health care seeking is imperative for its prevention, early detection, and management. While online health information–seeking behavior (OHISB) is increasingly popular due to widespread internet connectivity, little is known about how OHISB for COPD has changed in comparison with the COPD disease burden, particularly at a country-specific level. Objective This study aimed to examine the trends in OHISB for COPD and how that compared with the estimates of COPD disease burden in Singapore, a highly wired country with a steadily increasing COPD disease burden. Methods To examine the trends in OHISB for COPD, we performed Prais-Winsten regression analyses on monthly search volume data for COPD from January 2004 to June 2020 downloaded from Google Trends. We then conducted cross-correlational analyses to examine the relationship between annualized search volume on COPD topics and estimates of COPD morbidity and mortality reported in the Global Burden of Disease study from 2004 to 2017. Results From 2004 to 2020, the trend in COPD search volume was curvilinear (β=1.69, t194=6.64, P<.001), with a slope change around the end of 2006. There was a negative linear trend (β=–0.53, t33=–3.57, P=.001) from 2004 to 2006 and a positive linear trend (β=0.51, t159=7.43, P<.001) from 2007 to 2020. Cross-correlation analyses revealed positive associations between COPD search volume and COPD disease burden indicators: positive correlations between search volume and prevalence, incidence, years living with disability (YLD) at lag 0, and positive correlations between search volume and prevalence, YLD at lag 1. Conclusions Google search volume on COPD increased from 2007 to 2020; this trend correlated with the upward trajectory of several COPD morbidity estimates, suggesting increasing engagement in OHISB for COPD in Singapore. These findings underscore the importance of making high-quality, web-based information accessible to the public, particularly COPD patients and their carers.

Examining the trend in online health information seeking behavior about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Singapore using evidence from Google Trends and the Global Burden of Disease study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Fang ◽  
Thomas A. Shepherd ◽  
Helen E. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Disease Study

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally and timely health care seeking is imperative for its prevention, early detection, and management. While online health information seeking behavior (OHISB) is increasingly popular due to widespread internet connectivity, little is known about how OHISB for COPD has changed in comparison with the COPD disease burden, particularly at a country-specific level. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the trend in OHISB for COPD and how that compared with the estimates of COPD disease burden in Singapore, a highly wired country with a steadily increasing COPD disease burden. METHODS To examine the trend in OHISB for COPD, we performed Prais-Winsten regression analyses on monthly search volume data for COPD from January 2004 to June 2020 downloaded from Google Trends. We then conducted cross-correlational analyses to examine the relationship between annualized search volume on COPD topics and estimates of COPD morbidity and mortality reported in the Global Burden of Disease study from 2004 to 2017. RESULTS From 2004 to 2020, the trend in COPD search volume was curvilinear (β=1.69, t=6.64, P<.001), with a slope change around the end of 2006. There was a negative linear trend (β=-0.53, t=-3.57, P=.001) from 2004 to 2006 and a positive linear trend (β=0.48, t=6.84, P<.001) from 2007 to 2020. Cross-correlation analyses revealed positive associations between COPD search volume and COPD disease burden indicators: positive correlations between search volume and prevalence, incidence, years living with disability (YLD) at lag 0, and positive correlations between search volume and prevalence, YLD at lag 1. CONCLUSIONS Google search volume on COPD increased from 2007 to 2020; this trend correlated with the upward trajectory of several COPD morbidity estimates, suggesting increasing engagement in OHISB for COPD in Singapore. These findings underscore the importance of making high quality web-based information accessible to the public, particularly COPD patients and their carers. CLINICALTRIAL

scholarly journals Reported dyspnea and fatigue using different scales during the physical effort in COPD

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaís Camargo Corcioli ◽  
Bruna Varanda Pessoa-Santos ◽  
Glaucia Nency Takara ◽  
Valéria Amorim Pires Di Lorenzo ◽  
Mauricio Jamami
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Peripheral Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Physical Effort ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Therapy Choice ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Positive Correlations

Abstract Introduction: Therapy choice and its progression for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) should be based on their symptoms and clinical condition according to reports of dyspnea and fatigue. Therefore patient-reported scales have presented a key role during the communication with the patient. Objective: To verify if patients with COPD prefer the Modified Borg Scale (MBS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Glasses Scale (GS), Faces Scale (FS) or Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) during the six-minute walk test(6MWT), and to compare and correlate the scales with each other, with peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR). Methods: 28 patients with COPD (50% had mild to moderate COPD and 50% had severe to very severe) were evaluated by a respiratory and cognitive assessment. Additionally, they performed the 6MWT, in which the scales were applied simultaneously (random order) and patients reported their preference in the end of the test. Results: 57% of patients were illiterate or presented incomplete primary education and most of them (67%) chose the FS or GS. Significant positive correlations were observed between instruments for both dyspnea and fatigue in the end of the 6MWT, which the strongest was between MBS and FS (r = 0.95). Nevertheless, there was no correlation between the scales and SpO2 and HR. Conclusion: As the majority of patients preferred pictured to numerical scales we suggest their use as a resource for therapeutic evaluation; MBS might be replace by FS, even though they have different scores and not scaled proportionally. However, this change must be carefully considered because there is the risk of dubious interpretation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document