The Effect of Public Health Awareness Campaigns on Prostate Cancer-Related Online Information-Seeking Behavior: A Hungarian Experience
Author(s)
Márió Gajdács, MPH, MSc, PharmD, PhD1, Diána Elmer, MSc, PhD2, Imre Boncz, MSc, PhD, MD2, Zsuzsanna Kívés, MSc, PhD2;
1University of Szeged, Department of Oral Biology and Experimental Dental Research, Szeged, Hungary, 2University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Health Insurance, Pécs, Hungary
1University of Szeged, Department of Oral Biology and Experimental Dental Research, Szeged, Hungary, 2University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Health Insurance, Pécs, Hungary
OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer, and the third cancer-related cause of death in men within European Union countries. The aim of our infodemiological study was to assess the information-seeking behavior of the Hungarian population related to prostate cancer.
METHODS: A quantitative, retrospective, observational study was carried out using the Google TrendsTM database, corresponding to data extracted for the search term ,,prosztatarák” (,,prostate cancer”). Search intensity data was collected and assessed as raw and corrected relative search volumes (RSV and RSVcorr) for the period between 2013.01.01-2022.12.31. Statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, parametric tests, time series analysis, joinpoint regression) were carried out using jamovi 2.4.5 and joinpoint 5.3.0 (α: 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]).
RESULTS: During the 10-year study period, no significant monotonic trend was observed (Mann-Kendall: p>0.05; AAPC: -1.56% [95% CI: -2.92 - 0.12], p=0.072) in prostate cancer-related search intensity was observed in Hungary; an annually recurring increase in RSV-values was shown, with peaks occurring during weeks 37-52 (Runs-test: p=0.003). In comparison to ,,prosztatarák” (RSVcorr: 59), ,,prosztatagyulladás” (,,prostatitis” RSVcorr: 74.5) and ,,prosztatamegnagyobbodás” (,,prostate enlargement” RSVcorr: 24) were also notable topical search terms. A tendencious decrease in RSV-values was observed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (RSV2017-2019 vs. RSV2020-2022: 53.69 [95% CI: 49.29-58.10] vs. 48.25 [95% CI: 43.66-52.84]; p=0.091). The ,,World Cancer Day” (before vs. after: 29.48 [95% CI: 18.68-40.27] vs. 28.55 [95% CI: 17.66-39.44]; p>0.05) did not lead to increased RSV-values, while significantly higher prostate cancer-related search intensity was observed due to the ,,Prostate Cancer Awareness Month” (before vs. after: 26.58 [95% CI: 15.98-37.17] vs. 44.35 [95% CI: 33.04-55.66]; p=0.013)
CONCLUSIONS: Although direct causation between educational campaigns and health-related Internet search intensity is still poorly understood, our digital epidemiological analyses may provide valuable insights on collective health utilization trends, and for determining the focal points of public health education campaigns.
METHODS: A quantitative, retrospective, observational study was carried out using the Google TrendsTM database, corresponding to data extracted for the search term ,,prosztatarák” (,,prostate cancer”). Search intensity data was collected and assessed as raw and corrected relative search volumes (RSV and RSVcorr) for the period between 2013.01.01-2022.12.31. Statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, parametric tests, time series analysis, joinpoint regression) were carried out using jamovi 2.4.5 and joinpoint 5.3.0 (α: 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]).
RESULTS: During the 10-year study period, no significant monotonic trend was observed (Mann-Kendall: p>0.05; AAPC: -1.56% [95% CI: -2.92 - 0.12], p=0.072) in prostate cancer-related search intensity was observed in Hungary; an annually recurring increase in RSV-values was shown, with peaks occurring during weeks 37-52 (Runs-test: p=0.003). In comparison to ,,prosztatarák” (RSVcorr: 59), ,,prosztatagyulladás” (,,prostatitis” RSVcorr: 74.5) and ,,prosztatamegnagyobbodás” (,,prostate enlargement” RSVcorr: 24) were also notable topical search terms. A tendencious decrease in RSV-values was observed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (RSV2017-2019 vs. RSV2020-2022: 53.69 [95% CI: 49.29-58.10] vs. 48.25 [95% CI: 43.66-52.84]; p=0.091). The ,,World Cancer Day” (before vs. after: 29.48 [95% CI: 18.68-40.27] vs. 28.55 [95% CI: 17.66-39.44]; p>0.05) did not lead to increased RSV-values, while significantly higher prostate cancer-related search intensity was observed due to the ,,Prostate Cancer Awareness Month” (before vs. after: 26.58 [95% CI: 15.98-37.17] vs. 44.35 [95% CI: 33.04-55.66]; p=0.013)
CONCLUSIONS: Although direct causation between educational campaigns and health-related Internet search intensity is still poorly understood, our digital epidemiological analyses may provide valuable insights on collective health utilization trends, and for determining the focal points of public health education campaigns.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
PCR207
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient Behavior and Incentives, Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Oncology