Differences in reporting the ragweed pollen season using Google Trends across 15 countries

Jean Bousquet (Author), Ioana Agache (Author), Uwe Berger (Author), Karl-Christian Bergmann (Author), Jean-Pierre Besancenot (Author), Philippe J. Bousquet (Author), Thomas Casale (Author), Gennaro d'Amato (Author), Igor Kaidashev (Author), Musa Khaitov (Author), Ralph Mösges (Author), Kristof Nekam (Author), Gabrielle L. Onorato (Author), Davor Plavec (Author), Aziz Sheikh (Author), Michel Thibaudon (Author), Robert Vautard (Author), Mihaela Zidarn (Author)

Abstract

Background: Google Trends (GT) searches trends of specific queries in Google, which potentially reflect the real-life epidemiology of allergic rhinitis. We compared GT terms related to ragweed pollen allergy in American and European Union countries with a known ragweed pollen season. Our aim was to assess seasonality and the terms needed to perform the GT searches and to compare these during the spring and summer pollen seasons. Methods: We examined GT queries from January 1, 2011, to January 4, 2017. We included 15 countries with a known ragweed pollen season and used the standard 5-year GT graphs. We used the GT translation for all countries and the untranslated native terms for each country. Results: The results of "pollen," "ragweed," and "allergy" searches differed between countries, but "ragweed" was clearly identified in 12 of the 15 countries. There was considerable heterogeneity of findings when the GT translation was used. For Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, the GT translation was inappropriate. The country patterns of "pollen," "hay fever," and "allergy" differed in 8 of the 11 countries with identified "ragweed" queries during the spring and the summer, indicating that the perception of tree and grass pollen allergy differs from that of ragweed pollen. Conclusions: To investigate ragweed pollen allergy using GT, the term "ragweed" as a plant is required and the translation of "ragweed" in the native language needed.

Keywords

Google Trends;hay fever;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2018
Typology:	1.02 - Review Article
Publisher:	Karger
UDC:	616-097
COBISS:	2048319601
ISSN:	1423-0097
Views:	689
Downloads:	158
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary keywords:	seneni nahod;Allergy and immunology;Allergens;Rhinitis, Seasonal, Allergic;Rhinitis;Pollen;Ambrosia;Alergija in imunologija;Alergeni;Sezonski alergijski rinitis;Rinitis;Pelod;Ambrozija;
Source comment:	Soavtorji: Ioana Agache, Uwe Berger, Karl-Christian Bergmann, Jean-Pierre Besancenot, Philippe J. Bousquet, Tom Casale, Gennaro d'Amato, Igor Kaidashev, Musa Khaitov, Ralph Mösges, Kristof Nekam, Gabrielle L. Onorato, Davor Plavec, Aziz Sheikh, Michel Thibaudon, Robert Vautard, Mihaela Zidarn; Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 18. 7. 2018;
Pages:	str. 181-188
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ176
Issue:	ǂno. ǂ3/4
Chronology:	2018
DOI:	10.1159/000488391
ID:	12174558