Information-Seeking Behavior of the Hungarian Population Regarding Breast Cancer: A Digital Epidemiological Study using Google TrendsTM
Author(s)
Márió Gajdács, MPH, MSc, PharmD, PhD1, Tekla Kertész, BSc1, Adrienn Márta, BSc1, Réka Vajda, MSc, PhD2, 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: Incidence and mortality of breast cancers in Hungary is one of the highest among the European Union countries, despite organized screening (mammography) being introduced in 2002. The aim of the present study was to assess the information-seeking behavior of the Hungarian population regarding breast tumors.
METHODS: A quantitative, retrospective, observational study was carried out using the Google TrendsTM database, corresponding to data extracted for the search term ,,mellrák” (,,breast 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: A decreasing trend (Mann-Kendall: S: -1763, p<0.001) in breast cancer-related search intensity was observed in Hungary, with an especially sharp decline after 2019 (AAPC2019-2022: -11.18% [95% CI: -32.77 - -3.47], p=0.016); an annually recurring increase in RSV-values was shown in autumn, which tapered off by weeks 40-46 (Runs-test: p=0.007). The ,,World Cancer Day” (before vs. after: 48.23 [95% CI: 40.93-55.52] vs. 52.58 [95% CI: 47.13-58.02]; p>0.05), did not lead to increased RSV-values, while a tendencious increase was identified following the ,,Breast Cancer Awareness Month” (before vs. after: 54.18 [95% CI: 47.13-61.23] vs. 62.08 [95% CI: 54.33-69.82]; p=0.097). The most common related queries were ,,mellrák tünetei” (,,symptoms of breast cancer”; RSV: 100), ,,gyulladásos mellrák” (,,inflammatory breast cancer”; RSV: 7-19), ,,mellrák lelki okai” (,,psychological causes of breast cancer”; RSV: 6-19) and ,,mellrák fórum” (,,breast cancer forum”; RSV: 0-16).
CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of breast cancers is largely influenced by lifestyle-associated risk factors prevalent in the Hungarian population and the low attendance at organized screening. During qualitative analysis, public interest towards the causes and symptoms of breast cancer - but not towards organized screening - was shown.
METHODS: A quantitative, retrospective, observational study was carried out using the Google TrendsTM database, corresponding to data extracted for the search term ,,mellrák” (,,breast 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: A decreasing trend (Mann-Kendall: S: -1763, p<0.001) in breast cancer-related search intensity was observed in Hungary, with an especially sharp decline after 2019 (AAPC2019-2022: -11.18% [95% CI: -32.77 - -3.47], p=0.016); an annually recurring increase in RSV-values was shown in autumn, which tapered off by weeks 40-46 (Runs-test: p=0.007). The ,,World Cancer Day” (before vs. after: 48.23 [95% CI: 40.93-55.52] vs. 52.58 [95% CI: 47.13-58.02]; p>0.05), did not lead to increased RSV-values, while a tendencious increase was identified following the ,,Breast Cancer Awareness Month” (before vs. after: 54.18 [95% CI: 47.13-61.23] vs. 62.08 [95% CI: 54.33-69.82]; p=0.097). The most common related queries were ,,mellrák tünetei” (,,symptoms of breast cancer”; RSV: 100), ,,gyulladásos mellrák” (,,inflammatory breast cancer”; RSV: 7-19), ,,mellrák lelki okai” (,,psychological causes of breast cancer”; RSV: 6-19) and ,,mellrák fórum” (,,breast cancer forum”; RSV: 0-16).
CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of breast cancers is largely influenced by lifestyle-associated risk factors prevalent in the Hungarian population and the low attendance at organized screening. During qualitative analysis, public interest towards the causes and symptoms of breast cancer - but not towards organized screening - was shown.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
PCR259
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient Behavior and Incentives, Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Oncology