Trends in online search for multiple sclerosis symptoms - Is pain a hot topic?

Filipa Serrazina; Manuel Salavisa; Ana Sofia Correia

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2022.103939

Trends in online search for multiple sclerosis symptoms - Is pain a hot topic?

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Aug:64:103939. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103939. Epub 2022 Jun 4.

Authors

Filipa Serrazina¹, Manuel Salavisa², Ana Sofia Correia³

Affiliations

¹ Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Rua da Junqueira, 126, Lisboa 1349-019, Portugal. Electronic address: fserrazina@chlo.min-saude.pt.
² Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Rua da Junqueira, 126, Lisboa 1349-019, Portugal.
³ Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Rua da Junqueira, 126, Lisboa 1349-019, Portugal; CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa 1169-056, Portugal.

PMID: 35716475
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103939

Abstract

Assessing the relative importance among different multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms could guide the efficient allocation of health care resources. We aimed to evaluate the trends in web search behavior worldwide regarding MS symptoms, by querying Google Trends using search terms related to MS symptoms. The popularity of those symptoms was evaluated worldwide from 16/April/2017 through 3/April/2022. A comparison of all search terms revealed that "multiple sclerosis" pain displayed by far the highest relative search volume. Prompt screening and evidence-based interventions are necessary to evaluate pain and optimize quality of life in MS patients.

Keywords: Google trends; Multiple sclerosis; Pain; Symptoms.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Humans
Internet
Multiple Sclerosis* / complications
Multiple Sclerosis* / epidemiology
Pain / epidemiology
Pain / etiology
Quality of Life*
Sclerosis