Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany
Abstract Several conventional cross-sectional studies have investigated the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and reached contrary results regarding health and well-being. As analysis of web search data already provided insights in...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54047-3 |
| _version_ | 1797275228181626880 |
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| author | Hannah Wecker Stefanie Ziehfreund Michael Hindelang Martin Welcker Alexander Zink |
| author_facet | Hannah Wecker Stefanie Ziehfreund Michael Hindelang Martin Welcker Alexander Zink |
| author_sort | Hannah Wecker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Several conventional cross-sectional studies have investigated the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and reached contrary results regarding health and well-being. As analysis of web search data already provided insights into public interest and unmet needs, this study aimed to examine axSpA-related web searches before and during COVID-19 pandemic to gain a different perspective on the impact of COVID-19 on this disease. The Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to generate axSpA-related keywords and their monthly number of searches between June 2018 and November 2021 in Germany. These keywords were qualitatively classified into seven categories. A total of 538 axSpA-related keywords were used for the analysis. The number of axSpA-related searches increased during COVID-19 pandemic (before: n = 1,525,010 vs. during: n = 1,848,300), particularly searches for symptoms, disease outcomes, and causes, while interest in disease management and diagnosis decreased. This study demonstrated a shift in public interest in axSpA during COVID-19 in Germany and highlights an urgent expansion of telemedicine to be prepared for exceptional situations such as a pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b05b6777ff494b95b5472c71086144bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-b05b6777ff494b95b5472c71086144bd2024-03-05T18:42:09ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-02-011411510.1038/s41598-024-54047-3Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in GermanyHannah Wecker0Stefanie Ziehfreund1Michael Hindelang2Martin Welcker3Alexander Zink4Department of Dermatology and Allergy, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of MunichDepartment of Dermatology and Allergy, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of MunichDepartment of Dermatology and Allergy, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of MunichMedizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr. M. Welcker GmbHDepartment of Dermatology and Allergy, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of MunichAbstract Several conventional cross-sectional studies have investigated the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and reached contrary results regarding health and well-being. As analysis of web search data already provided insights into public interest and unmet needs, this study aimed to examine axSpA-related web searches before and during COVID-19 pandemic to gain a different perspective on the impact of COVID-19 on this disease. The Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to generate axSpA-related keywords and their monthly number of searches between June 2018 and November 2021 in Germany. These keywords were qualitatively classified into seven categories. A total of 538 axSpA-related keywords were used for the analysis. The number of axSpA-related searches increased during COVID-19 pandemic (before: n = 1,525,010 vs. during: n = 1,848,300), particularly searches for symptoms, disease outcomes, and causes, while interest in disease management and diagnosis decreased. This study demonstrated a shift in public interest in axSpA during COVID-19 in Germany and highlights an urgent expansion of telemedicine to be prepared for exceptional situations such as a pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54047-3 |
| spellingShingle | Hannah Wecker Stefanie Ziehfreund Michael Hindelang Martin Welcker Alexander Zink Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany Scientific Reports |
| title | Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany |
| title_full | Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany |
| title_fullStr | Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany |
| title_short | Change of perspective: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis-related web searches in Germany |
| title_sort | change of perspective impact of covid 19 pandemic on axial spondyloarthritis related web searches in germany |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54047-3 |
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