Google search histories of patients presenting to an emergency department: an observational study

BMJ Open
Jeremy M AschRaina M Merchant

Abstract

To test patients' willingness to share and link their prior Google search histories with data from their electronic medical record (EMR), and to explore associations between search histories and clinical conditions. Cross-sectional study of emergency department (ED) patients from 2016 to 2017. Academic medical centre ED. A total of 703 patients were approached; 334 of a volunteer sample of 411 (81%) reported having a Google account; 165 of those (49%) consented to share their Google search histories and EMR data; 119 (72%) were able to do so. 16 (13%) of those 119 patients had no data and were not included in the final count. Patients under the age of 18 or with a triage level of 1 were considered ineligible and were not approached. Health relatedness of searches in the remote past and within 7 days of the ED visit, and associations between patients' clinical and demographic characteristics and their internet search volume and search content. The 103 participants yielded 591 421 unique search queries; 37 469 (6%) were health related. In the 7 days prior to an ED visit, the percentage of health-related searches was 15%. During that time, 56% of patients searched for symptoms, 53% for information about a hospital and 23% about th...Continue Reading

Citations

May 10, 2019·Pediatric Blood & Cancer·Charles A PhillipsRaina M Merchant
Dec 25, 2019·Annual Review of Public Health·Briony Swire-Thompson, David Lazer
Mar 20, 2019·MMW Fortschritte der Medizin·UNKNOWN Springer Medizin
Mar 14, 2020·Scientific Reports·Sharath Chandra GuntukuRaina M Merchant
Apr 23, 2020·Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care·Vijay RampallyShaikat Mondal
Jul 25, 2020·The International Journal of Eating Disorders·Shiri Sadeh-SharvitElad Yom-Tov
Oct 7, 2020·Circulation. Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology·Khaldoun G TarakjiMina Chung
Dec 20, 2020·Journal of the Neurological Sciences·Olwen C MurphySeán S O'Sullivan
Apr 4, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Ximena AlvialChristian Fernández-Campusano
Jun 22, 2021·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Taimur Kouser, Jeff Ward

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Gmail
Google Searches
Bing
Google Takeout
Google Flu Trends
Google search
Takeout
Social Mediome

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Informatics in Primary Care
Montassar Amri, Kaliyadan Feroz
Revue médicale suisse
Jean Gabriel Jeannot
Ambulatory Pediatrics : the Official Journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association
John S Andrews
Journal of the California Dental Association
Kerry K Carney
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved