RSV Awareness Online Tool

Google Trends – Time Chart

Google Trends is a validated tool for measuring public awareness of a certain topic. It measures relative search volume over time.

Figure 1. Relative search volume for “respiratory syncytial virus” and “respiratory syncytial virus vaccine” are shown since 2021.

In Figure 1., relative search volume for “respiratory syncytial virus” and “respiratory syncytial virus vaccine” are shown over the last two years. The scale is from 0 to a 100 to represent the relative search interest for a specific term over time. A value of 100 indicates the peak popularity of the term within the chosen timeframe, while a value of 0 represents minimal interest. Other data points are compared to the highest data point, hence the term “relative”.

Google Trends – Geomap

Figure 2. Relative search volume data from Google Trends shown per country over the last five years.

Analyzing search volume geographically provides insights into the regions where RSV is most prevalent or where awareness levels are low.  This information can guide targeted interventions, public health campaigns, and resource allocation to specific areas in need. Google Trends enables search volume data to be shown per country, as seen in Figure 2. The geomap uses a color gradient to represent the relative search interest for RSV across different countries. Darker shades indicate regions with higher search interest, while lighter shades represent lower search interest.

It is important to understand this is once again relative. For example, the value of 100 for RSV in the United States indicates that it had the highest search interest within the last 5 years and location compared to other terms. A value of 65 in Poland suggests that RSV” had lower search interest there compared to the USA during the same period.

This map can give you an idea of the differences in public awareness of RSV between different countries.

Google Trends – Related queries and topics

Figure 3. The topics and queries most often searched for by Google users that also searched for "Respiratory Syncytial Virus".

It is important to look at the RSV related queries, specifically the queries that consistently have high search interest (closer to 100) over time, as seen in Figure 3.. Understanding the popular queries can provide insights into specific aspects or subtopics that are of significant interest to users or that they may associate with RSV.

The data is relative and hence if the related query to RSV is "virus infection" as seen in Figure 3. and it has a value of 100, it indicates that there is an equal level of interest in both RSV and the general term "virus infection." Both terms are receiving the same peak level of search interest during the selected time and location. On the other hand, the related query "infant" with a value of 32 indicates a lower level of interest compared to RSV itself. It suggests that while there is some interest in RSV among people searching for information related to infants, it is not as high as the overall interest in RSV.

Wikipedia - Pageviews

Wikipedia Pageviews is another online datasource that gives a representation of public awareness of RSV. It can complement the time chart from Google Trends and the trends observed there.

Figure 4. The graph shows the absolute amount of times the "Respiratory Syncytial Virus" Wikipedia page is visited by web users worldwide over the last five years.

Why is it useful to track search volumes of RSV?

Knowing the search volume of RSV can be highly useful for several reasons:

1. Early detection: Monitoring search volume can help identify potential outbreaks or spikes in RSV cases. A significant increase in searches related to RSV symptoms or treatments can indicate a surge in cases, allowing public health officials to respond promptly and allocate appropriate resources.

2. Geographic tracking: Analyzing search volume geographically provides insights into the regions where RSV is most prevalent or where awareness levels are low. This information can guide targeted interventions, public health campaigns, and resource allocation to specific areas in need.

3. Evaluation of awareness campaigns: By tracking search volume before and after awareness campaigns, it becomes possible to assess their impact. Changes in search behavior, following educational initiatives can indicate increased awareness and the effectiveness of specific messaging strategies.

In summary, tracking search volume of a disease like RSV provides valuable insights for early detection, geographic tracking, public education, campaign evaluation, and resource allocation. This information supports timely interventions, targeted awareness efforts, and better management of public health outcomes.

Disclaimer of the RSV Awareness Tool

When interpreting Google Trends and WikiPages data, there are several important considerations to keep in mind:

Relative scale: Google Trends data provides relative search interest of RSV over time rather than absolute search volumes. It shows how search interest for RSV changes over time, but it does not provide precise search volume numbers. Therefore, it is crucial to understand that the data represents the relative popularity compared to its peak popularity within the specified time frame.

Correlation vs. causation: Google Trends and WikiPages data shows the search interest for RSV, which if increased,  does not necessarily imply an increase in actual disease incidence or public awareness. It is important to consider other factors, such as media coverage, awareness campaigns, or seasonal variations, that could influence search behavior.

Interpretation in conjunction with other data sources: To gain a more comprehensive understanding, it is beneficial to combine Google Trends and WikiPages data with other relevant data sources, such as official disease surveillance data, news reports, social media trends, or expert insights.

By keeping these considerations in mind, researchers and public health professionals can effectively interpret Google Trends data and gain valuable insights into public interest and awareness related to specific diseases like RSV.

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