Search

Background People are increasingly turning to online search engines for health information. We analyzed Google search queries to determine the most frequently asked topics and questions related to shoulder arthroplasty and the sources of the websites provided to address these questions. Methods Search terms for shoulder arthroplasty were entered into Google. Machine learning–based natural language processing algorithms within Google were used to mine search logs to identify frequently asked questions about shoulder arthroplasty. These questions with their associated websites were extracted and categorized by two independent reviewers. Results A total of 300 questions were extracted with 156 associated websites. The most popular question topics were related to the timeline of recovery (16.3%), ability to perform specific activities (15.7%), technical details of surgery (14.3%), and activity restrictions (12%). Frequently asked questions had to do with the fastest means of recovery, duration of physical therapy, sling use, time spent sleeping upright in a recliner, time off work, location of surgical incision, resumption of sports, and the ability to use the bathroom. The most common websites provided to address the questions were academic (25.3%), private practice (23%), and government (20.3%). Conclusion The most frequently asked questions on Google about shoulder arthroplasty centered around postoperative rehabilitation and restrictions, with information originating from variable sources. Our data can be used to counsel patients and set expectations about recovery and serve as a framework for the development of targeted patient education materials. Level of evidence Level VI; Descriptive Study

Background The number and complexity of clinical trials is growing, making finding and accessing trials increasingly challenging. A key barrier to increasing recruitment efficiency is patients' low awareness of trials as an option. They rarely hear about trials from oncologists, unless these are based at a research center, which introduces trial population biases. Even if patients decide to search for trial information on their own, it is difficult for laypeople to understand. Trial search tools exist, but have multiple shortcomings: complex navigation, limited search functionality, data too complex for non-specialists, and next steps unclear. Methods Access to trials via a novel trial search tool using technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to restructure trial information and match patients to trials was the focus of this study. We focused on 6 gastrointestinal cancers for evaluating the search tool's AI model in which their trial information was restructured based on key eligibility differentiators identified. Research participants were recruited with the support of patient associations leveraging social media. They were asked to complete a survey evaluating an established tool and the novel tool to find trials relevant for them. They assessed aspects of the tools' usability on 5-level Likert scales. Results Survey respondents had a base level of awareness of trials, with patient associations and the internet as leading information sources. The novel tool made it easier to find trials, led to an improvement in ease of understanding information presented and provided more clarity on what the next steps towards enrollment would be. Overall, this led to higher patient satisfaction. Conclusions Novel patient-focused tools can unlock trial access for all patients. Democratizing trial information will not only increase trial accrual, but also patient satisfaction while reducing disparities. This tool could also be of value for academic or community oncologists who face similar issues when navigating trials for patients.

In October 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice and 11 state attorneys general filed an astounding civil antitrust lawsuit against Google. The cause of action was that Google has created and maintained through anticompetitive strategies monopolies on general internet search and search advertising, in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The lawsuit has sparked wide interest since it is the first time that one of the major technology platforms has been the focus of antitrust action. This article explores the implications of the antitrust lawsuit for health information. Google’s internet search engine is used for a remarkable 1 billion health-related searches per day, constituting 7% of its total search traffic. Search results for health information are typically accompanied by advertisements that appear at the top of the page. This article presents arguments that Google maintains monopolies on online search for health information and advertising for health products. A single, dominant provider of online health information harms consumer welfare since it discourages innovation in internet search and may result in a biased spectrum of health information. The article discusses another recent lawsuit, Dinerstein v. Google, a health information privacy lawsuit, which provides a broad perspective on the vast quantity of personal health information to which Google has gained access. The article concludes with a presentation of possible antitrust remedies.

This study emphasizes the need for innovation in pedagogical theory and practice. It highlights the theoretical and methodological foundations of the organization of blended learning in English teaching. The authors confirm a detailed theoretical basis, offer a model of blended learning in foreign language lessons for FLS. A blended approach to learning is one of the most relevant educational technologies today, as it allows you to take advantage of the flexibility and convenience of distance learning and the benefits of traditional forms of learning. As a result of theoretical analysis and experience of university teachers in a blended form of education, aspects that have remained outside of research are revealed. This includes the methodological potential of the organization of independent cognitive activity of FLS. The realization of this idea is impossible without the development and implementation of appropriate learning technologies. Three main components of the blended learning model that are used in the modern educational environment are identified: –face-to-face training (face-to-face) is a traditional format of classroom teacher-student; –self-study learning – involves independent work of students: search for materials using a resource map, online search, etc .; –online learning (online collaborative learning) – the work of students and teachers online, for example, through Internet conferences, Skype or wiki, etc.

Background Breastfeeding provides the healthiest start to life, but breastfeeding rates amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is lower than non-Indigenous women. Aim To assess the accuracy, quality and appropriate presentation of online breastfeeding information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia. Methods An online search conducted in Google, Bing and Yahoo search engines to identify any breastfeeding websites that provided information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Relevant websites were evaluated against: a) National Health and Medical Research Council clinical guidelines, b) the quality of health information on the Internet by using DISCERN instrument, and c) appropriate key design features for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Results The search located 348 sites with 31 being eligible for inclusion. Websites from governmental organizations had the highest accuracy while YouTube videos had the lowest accuracy. Three quarters (74%, n = 23) of sites incorporated the national clinical guidelines adequately, and most of the sites (77.8%, n = 24) were considered high quality. Only 23% (n = 7) of sites had sufficient key design features appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Four websites were considered exemplary for their accuracy, quality and cultural appropriateness of information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Conclusion Some websites are tailored to provide breastfeeding information and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. However, only a few contain culturally appropriate key design features. Further participatory action research is required to design online platforms for women from different cultural backgrounds that take into account cultural principles, beliefs and values.

Background: Diabetes mellitus has become a major public health problem globally. Social media could be useful in assisting clinical practice and sharing health-related information to improve self-management and to promote a positive behavioural change. This study aims to develop a guide on the best online tools by determining the media preference reflected by health- related information received from social media amongst diabetic patients in Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Methods: This study was conducted cross-sectional on 174 respondents, who were selected by using a simple random sampling method. Socio-demographic data and the use of the internet and media for health-related information were obtained via questionnaires. Results: The most preferred social media used for searching and sharing health-related information was WhatsApp (73.6%), followed by Facebook (67.8%), Instagram (18.4%) and Twitter (17.2%). The social media preference related to socio-demographic data of age was statistically significant (P < 0.002), which had a medium effect. Furthermore, the media preference was not significantly related to health-related information searched or shared on social media and the frequency of usage. Conclusion: Indeed, the social media have been an essential media platform to enhance public awareness concerning public health. This calls for evolution to further enhance the use of social media amongst healthcare practitioners to emphasise health promotion and empower the patients to play an active role in their healthcare. This study provides a guideline for the medical researchers, practitioners or healthcare providers in choosing WhatsApp as an online medium to communicate with diabetic patients in the future, specifically in Malaysia.

Patients are becoming increasingly active consumers of health information on the internet with urologic concerns being no exception. Our objective was to explore online search trends for topics related to men's health and identify information-seeking patterns related to news and media coverage of these topics. We used Google Trends ( http://google.com/trends ) to explore search trends for various search terms related to men's health in the United States over a 5-year period. Search queries provided graphs depicting search volume as a function of time, geographical data, and related topics and queries. Isolated spikes in search volume were further explored to identify a related event. Erectile dysfunction was the most-searched topic over the last 5 years in the United States. Prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia were the second and third most-searched topics, respectively. Other popular topics involved symptoms or pathologies of the testicles and penis. Most topics had relatively stable search volumes, with the exceptions of premature ejaculation and Peyronie's disease. Several observed spikes in search volume were attributable to singular events, mostly in the form of online article publications or social media posts. We believe it may be helpful for providers to stay informed of cultural events relating to medical conditions to anticipate patient concerns.

The Internet has become a central source of information on health-related issues. The aim of this study is to assess the quality and readability of online information present on the Whipple surgical procedure by applying recognized scoring tools. A search using the top three online search engines (Google, Bing and Yahoo) was conducted in July 2020. Websites were classified as academic, physician, commercial or unspecified. The quality of information was assessed using the JAMA and DISCERN assessment instruments and presence of a HONcode seal. Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES). A total of 34 unique sources were included in our study. The average JAMA and DISCERN scores of all websites were 2.22 ± 0.48 and 47.28 ± 1.17, respectively, with a median of 1.9 (range 0–4) and 47 (range 18–71), respectively. Website classification distribution was 38% academic, 18% commercial, 9% unspecified, and 1% from physician-based websites. Physician websites had the highest JAMA score with a mean of 3 ± 0.46. Unspecified websites had the highest DISCERN score with a mean of 54.60 ± 1.09. Only 3 websites had the HONcode seal. Physician websites had a significantly higher JAMA mean score than academic websites (p-value = 0.004). Readability was difficult and is on the level of university students. The results of this study show a poor quality of online information present on the Whipple surgery. Academic and physician websites need to improve the quality of their websites on the procedure. More HONcode-certified websites are needed as they are the best source for information on this operation.

INTRODUCTION: The use of internet data are being increasingly prefering in health area for predicting and analysing human behavior. In addition online search data are being widely used to predicting and monitor diseases occurrence and outbreaks. The most popular tool in health area for use of internet data is Google Trends, an open online tool that provides both real-time and archived information. The purpose of this study to explore the public awareness of COVID-2019 pandemic in Turkish using quantitative analysis of its digital footprints on the internet from January 1, 2020 to May 1, 2020. In addition, this study aims to investigate the relationship between online search behaviors about COVID-19 and the spreading speed of virus among different region and the effect of applied some precautionary strategies on search behavior. METHODS: The following search terms were used to investigate awareness of COVID-19;"Corona+ Korona","Coronavirus+Koronavirus+Koronavirus ", " "Covid 19"+"Covid-19" ", "Pandemi (pandemic)", "Salgin (epidemic)". In this study, plus sign (+) which means "OR" was used to represent the combination of those multiple terms. Then relative search volumes (RSV) were determined for the most searching these keywords in country. Finaly, for the purpose of comparing the difference of public perception and attantion about COVID-19 across Turkey, (1) The similarity between the day when MoH announces the numbers of death and case, and nd the day when RSV reached the apex, (2) The similarity between the day when official autority announces the precoution strategy and the day when RSV reached the apex were evaluaded. RESULTS: Searches related to COVID-19 in Turkey rapidly increased following around January 30, 2020 when the epidemic was announced in China and reached a small peak. Then clear peak was seen around February 26,2020 when the number of infections rapidly increased in Italy. Finally, the apex point was seen around March 11,2020 when the announcements of the first case in the country. The search interest was continued with the massive precaution measures which were taken such as the closure of schools, and mosques, and travel restrictions. The duration of public attention in Turkey was 26 days from the March 11, 2020 to the April 5,2020. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is important that until disease introduction to Turkey, there were lots of COVID-19 related searches. However, after mid-April, queries for all search terms had been dramatically declining. As a conclusion this study shows that the authorities should more strengthen the publicity of COVID-19 nationally and inform public.

Introduction and Aims To control the spread of COVID‐19, India imposed a nationwide lockdown in phases including lockdown 1.0 (25 March–14 April) and 2.0 (15 April–3 May). Among other restrictions, it involved a complete ban of alcohol sales. We aimed to examine and interpret the changes in online search interest for keywords representing different alcohol‐related themes during the lockdown period in India. Design and Methods Data were extracted using the framework described for using Google Trends in health‐related research. The list of alcohol‐related search queries was prepared for four broad themes: types of alcoholic beverages consumed; means of accessing alcohol; problems experienced due to break in alcohol supply; and help‐seeking for alcohol use disorders. The mean relative search volumes across three time periods (pre‐lockdown; lockdown 1.0; lockdown 2.0) were compared using spss version 23.0. Results A significant increase in online search interest for keywords related to the procurement of alcohol was observed in lockdown 1.0 but not during lockdown 2.0, compared with pre‐lockdown. A significant increase in online search interest for alcohol withdrawal was observed during lockdown 1.0 compared to the pre‐lockdown period. A significant increase in online search interest for keywords representing benzodiazepines was observed in lockdown 2.0. Discussion and Conclusions Indian internet users exhibited significantly increased online interest for alcohol‐related searches during lockdown. It seems that the challenges associated with offering interventions for alcohol use‐related problems are likely to continue once the lockdown is lifted and people have the option to access alcohol and treatment services freely.

The aim of this study is to evaluate students ' readiness for online learning at the Near East University English Preparatory School and to provide suggestions on how they can be further supported to strengthen their online learning. 202 adult students participated in the study were fall semester students of the 2019-2020 Academic year. As the data collection tool, Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS) by Hung et al. (2010) was used. The dimensions of the scale are; self-directed learning, motivation, learner control, computer-Internet self-efficacy, and online communication self-efficacy. The data obtained showed that the participants were ready in all dimensions with some variations within the dimensions. In the self-directed learning dimension, the participants were observed to lack the ability to manage time in their studies however they were willing to ask for help when they need help. Although the scores were above the average, Computer / Internet self-efficacy was found to have the lowest scores compared to the other dimensions. Participants stated that they were distracted by other online applications while studying for their online course. Results for computer / internet self-efficacy dimension showed that participants did not have a very high readiness in using basic Microsoft Office Programs, reaching information easily via online search and using online applications. Motivation and Online Communication self-efficacy dimensions were found to be the dimensions where all the items received a high score. Keywords: Online learning, online learning readines, english preparatory school

This comment discusses the case AT.4028 of 17 December 2018, where the European Commission imposed a fine of 39.8 million Euro on clothing company Guess for several restrictive provisions in agreements with its distributors in the EEA, including restrictions of online search advertising and online sales. The case demonstrates that e-commerce leads to disintermediation within the supply chain, which in turn leads to tensions between the manufacturer of branded products and authorized distributors operating in a selective distribution system. The case does not provide, however, much practical guidance on how to align online and offline channels into one distribution system supporting a prestigious image of branded products. Therefore, an example of a distribution system integrating online and offline sales from the practice of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is presented.

This study mainly focuses on how social media influences the Saudi restaurant business. Undoubtedly, the modern generation is primarily influenced by social media. Several human activities are associated with and influenced by social media. Internet, specifically social media greatly influences the behavioral patterns of millions of registered Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter users. However, there is inadequate information related to the social media’s impact on the restaurant business. Fashion, entertainment, and eating patterns are some of the forms that are highly vulnerable to social media. This research specifically analyzed the success of restaurant businesses in Saudi Arabia due to social media. The data was collected through an online search where social media profiles for five restaurants in Saudi Arabia were analyzed. The findings from these social media profiles were associated to the evidence in the literature review. Relevant recommendations and limitations of the study project are provided. It concluded that when used correctly, social media positively impacts the performance and profitability of the restaurant business in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND The image of dietitians presented on the Internet shapes public perception of the profession, which in turn may influence engagement with professionals. The aim was to describe the portrayal of the dietetic profession on the Internet and how this aligns with international professional demographics. METHODS In this cross-sectional observational study, images appearing in two Google image searches using the word 'dietitian' were analysed for content by two independent researchers. A coding framework was used to identify personal characteristics of professionals and others presented in the image, as well as the work setting. These were compared to demographic data of members of professional associations in Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). RESULTS The dietitian portrayed in the images (n = 339) was most often female (88%), Caucasian (72%), aged between 26-39 years (63%), pictured alone (78%), pictured with food (78%) and in a setting that could not be determined (76%). The age and gender profile presented matches the characteristics of the international workforce; however, there was an absence of images illustrating dietitians in authentic work roles. CONCLUSIONS The images resulting from an online search for 'dietitian' do not fully illustrate the profession. There are opportunities to create and share authentic images online that show the breadth of work roles and diversity of professionals' age, gender, cultural background and size.

Aim. Many people believe that the Internet may revolutionise several disciplines byallowing easier and faster data collection, larger and geographically diverse samples, andtherefore collecting more representative data. However, others are skeptical of its usabilityas well as its practical value. The paper’s aim is to highlight both positive and negativeoutcomes in the online research.Methods. The paper is based on the e-methodological approach by using exclusivelyonline data and online research methods: secondary data/articles with an open accessabout the topic in the literature review section; and online forum as an online researchmethod for the data collection.Results. As the most common advantages are recognised: quick access to information,wide geographical scope, a larger sample size leading to greater statistical power, reducedcost of conducting empirical research, support from online search engines and data bases,open data sources, no need for face-to-face interaction, no paper wasted. The most commondisadvantages appointed by the respondents are: the need of evaluation for the accuracyof the online sources, the need for Internet access, limited access or high costs of some databases, the contrast between fresh and redundant data available, irrelevant data, the needand knowledge for precise formulation of the key phrases/questions, users’ multiple accounts,AI involvement, low motivation of the targeted respondents, unreliable answers, etc.Conclusions. It is interesting that the narratives confi rm the already highlighted positiveand negative outcomes in the online research process as they are already elaboratedin the theoretical frame. This research proves that is possible to use the online forums forgathering data, especially in the kinds of networks, where the most important attribute ofthe respondents is known solely by the membership itself. Because the internet is widespread,easily available, low costing, it is important to open a wide discussion about overcomingshortcomings on online research approach, and come to the useful and improvedsolutions.

It has become a popular research topic how data on Internet queries are used to make reliable predictions about changes in the marketplace. In this study we analyze the relationship between the online search volume of IPO or initial public offering stocks and their post-IPO stock returns. We obtain the online search data sets of the NAVER, one of the largest online search services in Korea, and the information on IPO stocks and their post-IPO stock returns at the Korea Exchange. We investigate the daily online search volume data of 87 companies that went public in the year of 2016. After analyzing the relations of the abnormal returns and online search volumes using the event study methods, we find that the lower the amount of online search for stocks before IPO, the higher the stock returns after IPO both in short and long-term. One standard deviation increase in search volume decreases one-day return by 3 basis points, two-day return by 6 basis points, and 4-day return by 10 basis points. These economically significant results become stronger if we control for benchmark returns, firm size, and book-to-market ratio. This finding suggests that IPO stocks with low investors’ attention based on the Internet search volume may be undervalued.

The online search engine is a key source of tourism information for trip planning. In the internet, experience and feedback shared by previous tourists can be obtained with increasing ease, resulting in a feedback mechanism of interpersonal influence featured in the online peer-to-peer tourism information exchange. Such interpersonal influence may lead to a unique popularity distribution among destinations. The information exchange process is also affected by the destination choice set, which is determined by the geography of the destination countries. This study mathematically characterised the e-word-of-mouth effect in travel and tourism on the pattern formation in online destination. To achieve this, the Polya Urn process is invoked to model the clustering of destination preference and the distribution of destination popularity in an online environment. Google search volume on various destinations in Australia and France from five tourism inbound countries are used. Results show that the theoretical distribution of the Polya Urn process fits the distribution of search volume on Australian destinations, highlighting the geographical uniqueness of Australia as a closed system that possess a unique online popularity growth process and distribution.

The goal of this study is to investigate the use of the Internet as a source of health-related information and information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to young people. A special focus of the study are the Internet and web resources that the participants prefer to use. An online survey was used to assess the frequency of use of the Internet to search for health-related information and information on complementary and alternative medicine and the specific web sources that young users most frequently use. The total number of participants was 731, who were surveyed between July 2018 and April 2020. All of them were aged between 18 and 30. There were 543 female and 188 male respondents. Most of the participants (69%) use a computer every day and 76% define themselves as having good or excellent computer literacy. Almost three-quarters of the participants (71%) search for health-related information on the Internet and they use specialized sites and/or patients’ forums. Only 38% reported they seek information related to alternative and complementary medicine. The use of Internet for searching health-related information and information on complementary and alternative medicine among young people is relatively high. However, there are some differences in the trends between the two types of information. Information on complementary and alternative medicine is most often searched for in forums and through the opinions of other patients. General health-related information is widely searched for across specialized websites.

The search of legal precedence orstare decisishas always distinguished the lawyer who is in professional practice. The development of the internet has led to a greater dimension in this research and to an empirical approach to understanding the application of law. The academic lawyer has always needed access to the newest legislation and case law and the online search engines are of increasing relevance to accessing the virtual library. This is necessary to assimilate because of the impact of law and technology which is not just of relevance to find texts but also the process of artificial intelligence that is of utility in forms of inquiry. It includes portals that can be sourced online, Lexis and Westlaw which have available software packages that are available for lawyers. The issue is if the technology is moving at excessive speed or is the momentum of digital technology sustainable within the profession. This article argues that legal software provides the means for artificial intelligence in an increasingly specialist field and it is necessary for professionals to stay equipped with knowledge updates on computer terminals in order to enhance their research or lose out in the information supply chain.

Patients increasingly access the internet to learn about their orthopaedic conditions. Despite this, online information may be unregulated, of questionable quality and difficulty to read.ObjectivesTherefore, this study aimed to evaluate the readability and quality of the online information concerning subacromial impingement syndrome.MethodsA search using Australia’s three most popular online search engines was undertaken using the search terms ‘subacromial impingement syndrome’ and ‘shoulder impingement’. The first 15 websites for each term were evaluated. Duplicates, advertisements and sponsored links were removed.The quality and readability of each website were calculated using the DISCERN and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease (FKRE) tools, respectively. The differences in quality and readability between each website type (healthcare/academic, commercial, news outlet, charitable/not-for-profit, layperson, government) was assessed using analysis of variance. The correlation between quality and readability was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsThe majority of 35 unique websites analysed were of ‘poor’/’fair’ quality (determined via the DISCERN instrument) and ‘difficult’ readability (per the FKRE tool), with no correlation established between the scores. There was no statistically significant difference in quality across website types, however layperson, news outlet and government websites were found to be significantly more readable than alternate website categories (pConclusionsWe determined that much of the online information concerning subacromial impingement syndrome may be difficult to read and/or of poor quality. By recognising the shortcomings of information accessed by patients online, it is hoped clinicians may be prompted to better educate their patients.

People frequently search the internet for information. Eight experiments (n = 1,917) provide evidence that when people “Google” for online information, they fail to accurately distinguish between knowledge stored internally—in their own memories—and knowledge stored externally—on the internet. Relative to those using only their own knowledge, people who use Google to answer general knowledge questions are not only more confident in their ability to access external information; they are also more confident in their own ability to think and remember. Moreover, those who use Google predict that they will know more in the future without the help of the internet, an erroneous belief that both indicates misattribution of prior knowledge and highlights a practically important consequence of this misattribution: overconfidence when the internet is no longer available. Although humans have long relied on external knowledge, the misattribution of online knowledge to the self may be facilitated by the swift and seamless interface between internal thought and external information that characterizes online search. Online search is often faster than internal memory search, preventing people from fully recognizing the limitations of their own knowledge. The internet delivers information seamlessly, dovetailing with internal cognitive processes and offering minimal physical cues that might draw attention to its contributions. As a result, people may lose sight of where their own knowledge ends and where the internet’s knowledge begins. Thinking with Google may cause people to mistake the internet’s knowledge for their own.

The internet network continues to be a major source of health-related information. Our research provides insights into the online health-seeking behaviors of the general population, and evaluates the potential relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and public interest and awareness of general sleep health, mental health and wellbeing. Google Trends’ weekly relative search volumes (RSVs) were examined during 2020 for searches specifically related to COVID-19 symptoms, and for searches related to general health, sleep and wellbeing, in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, Italy and Japan. To obtain insight into the association between the initiation of public restrictions and online search trends, we assessed a six-week period; the ‘early pandemic period’ (EPP) (01 March 2020 – 11 April 2020). To provide a meaningful pre-pandemic comparison, a similar period during 2019 (03 March – 13 April 2019) was compared for RSV and median difference analysis. The EPP was associated with increased online searches related to COVID-19 symptoms, as compared with those related to more general sleep health, mental health and wellbeing. The latter search terms frequently showed a decrease or minimal change in RSV during the EPP compared with the equivalent period in 2019. This finding illustrates the potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and online search behavior and corroborates existing findings regarding internet searches during this period. Proactive communication by healthcare professionals during future pandemics and as an ongoing measure could help prevent public neglect of general health and wellbeing symptoms, and encourage reporting and early intervention.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify major themes and potential research opportunities in online and offline consumer search. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted based on 118 articles identified from prevalent journal databases. Keywords frequency analysis was carried out to identify the major themes. An inductive thematic analysis was carried out to verify the generated themes. Findings Results show that uncertainty, knowledge, perceived risk, price, experience and involvement are the major themes associated with consumer information search. Uncertainty, one of the major themes of offline search, has not been studied in the online search context. Similarly, the previous experience needs to be explored in the context of the offline search. Finally, potential research opportunities for future research has been summarized based on the retrieved themes. Research limitations/implications The systematic review provides an in-depth understanding on the current research on information search literature with future research directions. Practical implications This study helps retailers to understand the key elements that motivate consumers to perform external information searches from online and offline sources and to curate targeted information provision strategies to influence purchase decisions. Social implications Consumers with limited internet availability may access channels prior to decision-making. The themes identified in this study can aid policymakers to design affordable access to these channels. Originality/value This study adds to the sparse literature on systematic reviews on consumer search for online and offline channels.

In the era of modern technologies and with the development of marketing, nowadays the customer can save time buying things without having to visit the store. They just need to shop online, find what they are buying and pay it with just a few simple clicks. With this convenience in mind, the indulgence of people buying online has risen quite well. The customer’s decision to purchase a product through Internet commerce under the concept of electronic commerce - which has been developed into e-commerce or mobile commerce - usually takes a serious action with perceived confidence in the services and their suitability. Therefore, customer behaviour is an important factor to facilitate online electronic service. Hence, it is important to understand customer perceptions on these services and their intention of using it. Zalora is one of the fastest online search platforms providing kind of world-famous brands in Malaysia. The objective of this study is to examine factors that influence Malaysian consumers’ purchase intention through Zalora mobile application. Based on the theory of planned behaviour along with other factors, the study proposes a theoretical model for the empirical examination of the customer intention for purchasing via Zalora mobile application. Data were collected from sixteen respondents to test the relationship between variables. Data analysis was carried out using PLS-SEM. The empirical results indicated that perceived friendliness, perceived convenience, and perceived influence have a significant impact on purchase intention. The result may be preserved by providing an easy shopping experience to the user when using commerce sites and building trust to maintain the intent to buy. In addition, this analysis is helpful for Zalora marketers to suggest the most effective promotion methods in reference to further marketing of their products.

Canthoplasty as a cosmetic procedure appears to be on the rise in the West. Online search query data offers a powerful tool for analyzing population trends, including changes in patient interest in surgical procedures. Cosmetic surgeons can utilize the internet to increase patient education and interest, as well as to provide information and address misinformation. In this study we sought to verify the increase in cosmetic canthoplasty, for the first time, through analysis of Internet search data, and to establish trends in the interest of Internet users for cosmetic canthoplasty. These trends were subsequently compared with trends in literature publication to establish whether there is a correlation between patient and surgeon interest in the procedure.

The Internet has forever changed the manner in which we communicate with one another and gather information. Patients and the general public are using online search engines to look for information pertaining to their own health as well as the health of friends and relatives. Unfortunately, the information they encounter is often incorrect and potentially harmful. Many of the sites offering misinformation directly profit by selling nonvalidated tests or treatment options. More than ever, it is important for medical professionals to be aware of the misinformation their patients are encountering online and develop conversations to address this during individual encounters.

Purpose This study aims to determine the antecedents and consequences of information source choice to support a purchase decision for services high in experience attributes. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct two studies to test their propositions. Study 1 is a single-category application using data from a national survey of 974 consumers who recently made a hotel-stay purchase/reservation. Correspondence analysis was used to identify search patterns, and regression analysis was used to identify their antecedents and influence on search outcomes. Study 2 is a cross-category study using data from a survey of 422 MTurk respondents reporting on search processes across six different services contexts, including hotel reservations. In this study, the authors seek generalization of their results to other services categories. Findings The authors identify four dimensions that characterize what information sources consumers, on average, use together when purchasing services. It is found that loyalty program membership and consistency in service delivery across a brand’s outlets for the brands in a consumer’s evoked set are important determinants of search patterns. Search patterns partially mediate the impact of consumer characteristics, choice context and choice set characteristics on search effort and, ultimately, on price paid. Practical implications An understanding of the factors that are associated with consumers’ choices of information sources and whether these choices are systematically related to search outcomes has implications for market segmentation and for marketers’ initiatives with respect to what information content to emphasize across sources. Originality/value The contribution is an understanding of the antecedents and consequences of consumer search patterns – and what information sources consumers tend to use together, considering the diversity of both internet and non-internet sources. There are limited insights in the services literature regarding how the internet impacts information search processes.

Improving financial and health literacy is an important step in reducing economic vulnerability in older age, yet the means by which individuals accumulate these types of human capital remains an open question. This paper evaluates the impact of online search activities on the levels of financial and health literacy. We find that using the internet for such information increases literacy significantly: doing so frequently (versus not at all) increases financial literacy by 16 percent, and health literacy by 12 percent. Our results are robust to alternative measures of financial literacy. They are also robust to an instrumental variable approach using other web skills such as email use to proxy for how individuals use the internet.

Beginning in 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed television advertisements to make major statements about a prescription drug, while referring to detailed information on the internet. The hope was that consumers would seek additional information online to understand the risks and benefits of taking the medication. This policy motivates us to analyze direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) and search engine click-through data on a set of drugs over the period from 2008 to 2011. Regression analysis shows that DTCA on a prescription drug is associated with a higher frequency of online search and subsequent clicks for that drug, as well as search for other drugs in the same class. While the FDA’s policy was intended to direct consumers to the internet for drug information, the effects of DTCA are larger for paid clicks relative to organic clicks and for clicks on promotional websites relative to informational websites. We also find the relationship between DTCA and search is heterogeneous: the effects are stronger for younger drugs and drugs that treat acute conditions.

The dramatic growth of the internet has led to the emergence of two important phenomena: social media and online search engines. In business context, social media is a new communication channel between the companies including SMEs and customers, which allows them to interact directly. This study aims to conduct an analysis of the impact of social media usage on the sales process in SMEs. The method used in this study is Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The method is carried out by reviewing several journals that discuss about related research topics. The results of this study identified similar impacts of social media use in SMEs across different countries. The use of social media depends on the type of industry and the type of social media used in accordance with SMEs business objectives. The impact obtained is mostly related to customers, stakeholders, business partners and competitors. However, the impact produced in this study is still general. Therefore, further research needs to be done to gain more insights on the drivers of social media use in SMEs and their impact on the performance of SMEs.

We take the development of retail formats under COVID-19 as an example, using online search data to establish a retail format index to reflect the impact of online retail formats and trends of the impact under COVID-19. Therefore, a time series model of the retail format index was established to achieve an ideal forecast effect, and a short-term dynamic forecast of the impact of COVID-19 offline retail formats was achieved. Based on the special nature of the new online business format, we start from online fresh food, online education, and online office, we use online search data to construct a retail format index. It also has a certain significance to analyze the retail format data statistics, predict trends, and study the impact of COVID-19 on the retail format.

Eye tracking can be used to record individual search processes on the Internet and the eye movements of subjects searching for information. These search processes combined with the gaze data can be examined by means of standardized content analysis. Field of application/theoretical foundation: Reception, perception, and selection behavior on the Internet; selective exposure and framing effects studies; role of news factors in selection on the Internet References/combination with other methods of data collection: Zillich and Kessler (2019) evaluate and compare the method combination with the advantages and disadvantages of established methods for measuring selective exposure processes with regard to online information. Kessler and Guenther (2017), Kessler and Langmann (2020), and Kessler and Zillich (2019) combined the content analysis of eye tracking data with an online pre- and post-survey. Kessler and Engelmann (2019) compare findings on the role of news factors in online news selection from three different methods: standardized content analysis of eye tracking data, qualitative open survey, and standardized closed survey. Example studies: Kessler & Langmann (2020); Kessler & Engelmann (2019); Kessler & Zillich (2019); Kessler & Guenther (2017); Zillich & Kessler (2019) Information on Kessler and Guenther (2017) Authors: Sabrina Heike Kessler & Lars Guenther Research question: Does individual online behavior (i.e., searching for and reading information) conform to previously presented media frames? How much impact do presented media frames have on different levels of individuals’ online searching for and on reading information? Object of analysis: In an experiment combining eye tracking and content analysis, participants (N = 72) were exposed to one of three TV clips with different media frames that focused on Alzheimer’s disease. After exposure, participants informed themselves about the issue online. The researchers examined the online search behavior via eye tracking while the participants searched for information, followed by a standardized content analysis of the eye tracking data. Timeframe of analysis: 2014 Codebook: in the appendix (in German) Info about variables Construct: online behavior, the way people search for and read information on the Internet Level of analysis: levels of online behavior: input words participants used for their online searches; search results from the online search engines that were both viewed and selected; search results that were viewed but not selected; and the content of viewed websites. Variables: Duration of the search behavior; duration of the reception behavior; words typed into the search engine; website visited; categorization of the website; number of search results received and selected or received and not selected; main topic, problem, cause, evaluation, opportunities and risks, forecasts, proposed solution and demands of the individual search results; number and type of actors of the individual selected and unselected search results; number of contributions received; main topic, problem, cause, evaluation, opportunities and risks, forecasts, proposed solution and demands of the individual websites received; depicted controversy, images, explicit and implicit certainty and uncertainty at the individual websites received Reliability: “Nine trained coders helped conduct the content analysis. In total, 12 clips of participants’ online behavior (17 percent of the total sample) were randomly selected for reliability testing. For intercoder reliability, Cohen’s ? for the formal variables was ?=0.98 (CR=0.99). Intercoder reliability for the variables of the frame elements had the following values: selected search results ?=0.77 (CR=0.97), search results that were viewed but not selected ?=0.81 (CR=0.97), and contents of the websites that were viewed ?=0.71 (CR=0.93).” (p. 316) Information on Kessler and Langmann (2020) Authors: Sabrina Heike Kessler & Klara Langmann Research question: How does biological sex influence search behavior for political information on the Internet? Hypothesis: Prior political knowledge, political interest, and Internet skills mediate the influence of biological and social sex on search behavior for political information on the Internet. Object of analysis: This study aimed to investigate how people (N = 44 students) search online for political information (N = 220 search tasks) and if gendered online search exist. We examined the online search behavior via eye tracking while the participants searched for information about political party positions on the Internet. A content analysis of the eye tracking data followed and was evaluated with a special focus on the role of biological sex and social gender and the relationship of both factors with other variables, such as self-reported prior political knowledge, political interest, and Internet skills (via online survey). Timeframe of analysis: April 2017 Codebook: in the appendix (in German) Info about variables Construct: online search behavior, the way people search for and read information on the Internet Level of analysis: levels of online behavior: input words participants used for their online searches; search results on search engine result pages (SERPs) that were both viewed and selected, search results that were viewed but not selected; and the content of viewed websites. Variables and reliability: Four coders conducted the content analysis by satisfying reliability values (based on 11.4% of the total sample, randomly selected). Variables Measures Reliability coefficient (Krippendorff's ?); n=25 Search task 5 values 1 Length of online search behavior seconds 1 Number of search queries on SERPs 0 to x 1 Time on SERPs seconds .81 (10% tolerance) Scanpath on SERPs 4 values .78 Length of search queries 3 values .96 Number of clicked search results 0 to x .96 Number of viewed and unselected search results 0 to x .67 (10% tolerance) Number of selected search results position 1 0 to x .98 Number of selected search results position 2–3 0 to x .98 Number of perceived websites 0 to x .93 Type of website accessed 19 values .88 Website scanpaths 4 values .81 Reception scope on website 3 values .84 Time on websites seconds .81 (10% tolerance) References Kessler, S. H. & Langmann, K. (2020). The role of sex and gender on search behavior for political informationon the Internet. Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research. DOI: 10.1515/commun-2019-0137 Kessler, S. H. & Engelmann, I. (2019). Why do we click? Investigating reasons for user selection on a news aggregator website. Communications, 44(2), 225-247. DOI: 10.1515/commun-2018-2003 Kessler, S. H. & Zillich, A. F. (2019). Searching online for information about vaccination: Assessing the influence of user-specific cognitive factors using eye-tracking. Health Communication, 34(10), 1150-1158. DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1465793 Kessler, S. H. & Guenther, L. (2017). Eyes on the frame: Explaining people's online searching behavior in response to TV consumption. Internet Research, 27(2), 303-320. DOI: 10.1108/IntR-01-2016-0015 Zillich, A. F., & Kessler, S. H. (2019). Measuring selective exposure to online information. Combining eye-tracking and content analysis of users’ actual search behavior. In C. Peter, T. Naab, & R. Kühne (eds.), Measuring media use and exposure: Recent developments and challenges (pp. 196-220). Köln, GER: Halem.

The search behavior of Internet users is closely related to the needs of users, which is very important for the decision-making of enterprises. Based on the online search behavior, this paper makes an empirical study on the prediction of product sales, and establishes a model to reflect customer willingness. The findings show that there is a positive correlation between keyword search frequency and product sales. The contribution of this paper is to provide a quantitative model between search behavior and product sales, which can help enterprises to predict product sales and make better decisions.

PURPOSE To evaluate the readability and quality of patient-oriented information online among different common prosthodontic search areas using multiple quality and readability assessment tools. MATERIALS AND METHODS The prosthodontic keywords most commonly searched by patients on the internet were included. The search was performed through two online search engines (Google and Yahoo) to create the study sample. The first 50 websites listed by each search engine were chosen for each keyword. The quality of each website's information was evaluated using the DISCERN questionnaire and the Health on the Net (HON) criteria. Readability assessment was performed using the Flesch-Kinkaid Reading Grade Level (FKRGL) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES). RESULTS A total of 225 websites were included in the study. The median score for the DISCERN instrument indicated poor information quality. A significant difference was found between the educational and commercial websites in both quality and readability. Overall, the median readability indices showed that the websites' information was difficult to read. CONCLUSION Internet-based health information on different prosthodontic treatments is difficult to read and poor in quality and readability. It is necessary for health care providers to establish and promote websites that have reliable, high-quality information about common prosthodontic treatments.

Background CPD educators and CME providers would benefit from further insight regarding barriers and supports in obtaining CME, including sources of information about CME. To address this gap, we sought to explore challenges that clinicians encounter as they seek CME, and time and monetary support allotted for CME. Methods In August 2018, we surveyed licensed US clinicians (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants), sampling 100 respondents each of family medicine physicians, internal medicine and hospitalist physicians, medicine specialist physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants (1895 invited, 500 [26.3%] responded). The Internet-based questionnaire addressed barriers to obtaining CME, sources of CME information, and time and monetary support for CME. Results The most often-selected barriers were expense (338/500 [68%]) and travel time (N = 286 [57%]). The source of information about CME activities most commonly selected was online search (N = 348 [70%]). Direct email, professional associations, direct mail, and journals were also each selected by > 50% of respondents. Most respondents reported receiving 1–6 days (N = 301 [60%]) and $1000–$5000 (n = 263 [53%]) per year to use in CME activities. Most (> 70%) also reported no change in time or monetary support over the past 24 months. We found few significant differences in responses across clinician type or age group. In open-ended responses, respondents suggested eight ways to enhance CME: optimize location, reduce cost, publicize effectively, offer more courses and content, allow flexibility, ensure accessibility, make content clinically relevant, and encourage application. Conclusions Clinicians report that expense and travel time are the biggest barriers to CME. Time and money support is limited, and not increasing. Online search and email are the most frequently-used sources of information about CME. Those who organize and market CME should explore options that reduce barriers of time and money, and creatively use online tools to publicize new offerings.

The Internet has radically shifted how people access information. Instead of storing information internally, increasingly, people outsource to the Internet and retrieve it when needed. While this is an efficient strategy in many ways, its downstream consequences remain largely unexplored. This research examines how accessing online information impacts how people remember information in a learning context. Across five experiments, participants studied for a quiz either by searching online to access relevant information or by directly receiving that same information without online search. Those who searched the Internet performed worse in the learning assessment, indicating that they stored less new knowledge in internal memory. However, participants who searched the Internet were as confident, or even more confident, that they had mastered the study material compared to those who did not search online. We argue that, by making information retrievability salient, Internet search reduces the likelihood of information being stored in memory. Further, these results suggest that searching online leads to the misattribution of online information to internal memory, thus masking the Internet-induced learning deficits.

Knowledge of trends in web searches provides useful information for various purposes, including responses to public health emergencies. This work aims to analyze the popularity of internet search queries for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 symptoms in Cyprus. Query data for the term Coronavirus were retrieved from Google Trends website between 19 January and 30 June 2020. The study focused on Cyprus and the four most populated cities: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos. COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and myalgia were considered in the analysis. Daily and weekly search volumes were described, and their correlation with the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and important announcements or events were examined. Three periods of interest peaks were identified in Cyprus. The highest interest in COVID-19-related terms was found in the city of Paphos. The most popular symptoms were fever and cough, and the symptom with the highest increase in popularity was myalgia. At the beginning of the pandemic, the search volume of COVID-19 grew substantially when governments, major organizations, and high-profile figures, globally and locally, made important announcements regarding COVID-19. Health authorities in Cyprus and elsewhere could benefit from constantly monitoring the online interest of the population in order to get timely information that could be used in public health planning and response.

As users increasingly introduce Internet-connected devices into their homes, having access to accurate and relevant cyber security information is a fundamental means of ensuring safe use. Given the paucity of information provided with many devices at the time of purchase, this paper engages in a critical study of the type of advice that home Internet of Things (IoT) or smart device users might be presented with on the Internet to inform their cyber security practices. We base our research on an analysis of 427 web pages from 234 organisations that present information on security threats and relevant cyber security advice. The results show that users searching online for information are subject to an enormous range of advice and news from various sources with differing levels of credibility and relevance. With no clear explanation of how a user may assess the threats as they are pertinent to them, it becomes difficult to understand which pieces of advice would be the most effective in their situation. Recommendations are made to improve the clarity, consistency and availability of guidance from recognised sources to improve user access and understanding.

As more and more online search queries come from voice, automatic speech recognition becomes a key component to deliver relevant search results. Errors introduced by automatic speech recognition (ASR) lead to irrelevant search results returned to the user, thus causing user dissatisfaction. In this paper, we introduce an approach, Mondegreen, to correct voice queries in text space without depending on audio signals, which may not always be available due to system constraints or privacy or bandwidth (for example, some ASR systems run on-device) considerations. We focus on voice queries transcribed via several proprietary commercial ASR systems. These queries come from users making internet, or online service search queries. We first present an analysis showing how different the language distribution coming from user voice queries is from that in traditional text corpora used to train off-the-shelf ASR systems. We then demonstrate that Mondegreen can achieve significant improvements in increased user interaction by correcting user voice queries in one of the largest search systems in Google. Finally, we see Mondegreen as complementing existing highly-optimized production ASR systems, which may not be frequently retrained and thus lag behind due to vocabulary drifts., Comment: Accepted in KDD 2021

This paper studies the effects of the high-speed internet expansion on the match quality of new hires. We combine data on internet availability at the local level with German individual register and vacancy data. Results show that internet availability has no major impact on the stability of new matches and their wages. We confirm these findings using vacancy data, by explicitly comparing match outcomes of online and non-online recruits. Further results show that online recruiting not only raises the number of applicants and the share of unsuitable candidates per vacancy, but also induces employers to post more vacancies.

Unstructured Abstract Online search data was used to explore a connection between COVID-19 and ocular symptoms. Compared to prior years, searches for sore and burning eyes increased and conjunctivitis search increases were variable based on language.

The proliferation of e-commerce websites in recent times have spurred the number of online reviews on products generated online. This rapid development of ecommerce is usually accompanied by the desire of consumers to search for more information on a product before making any purchase. These two activities undertaken by consumers who tend purchase products online, generates large volumes of data that provides some useful insight for product manufacturers. The data generated from online reviews and consumers online search activity on a product could help product manufacturers to determine the needs and requirements of consumers. Using data mining methods, this study proposes a methodology to estimate the value of the importance of product attributes. These product attributes are the customers’ needs and requirements mined from online reviews and consumers’ online search data. This study proposes to use Shapley value and Choquet integral to determine the importance of product attributes from online big data.

Aim: We aimed to examine and interpret the changes in internet search volumes for keywords representing different drug use-related themes before and after the drug use started being discussed in the Indian news media during recent celebrity drug trials. Materials and Methods: Data were extracted using Google Trends framework in health-related research. Search keywords were prepared under four broad themes: General interest in cannabis use, drug use being a criminal/unlawful act, help seeking for cannabis use, and help-seeking for drug-related problems. The mean relative search volume was analyzed and compared pre- and post-media discussion about celebrity drug use using SPSS V23.0. Results: A significant increase was noted in online search interest for keywords related to themes of general interest in cannabis use and drug use being a criminal/unlawful act once the media discussion on the celebrity drug use started. However, no corresponding increase was noted in online search interest for themes of help seeking for drug-related problems in general and cannabis use in particular. Conclusion: Media discussions on celebrity drug use may impact the online search behavior of the general public adversely. There is an need to develop and adhere to drug use reporting guidelines by media professionals.

Background The internet has had an enormous influence on the field of medicine. In this regard, Statista, a market and consumer data company, estimated in 2019 that more than half the world's population (>four billion people) were active internet users. Accessing the World Wide Web has become the second nature for most. In the medical field, many patients look to the internet for information regarding certain procedures. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to assess the readability level of more than 492 online sources with information on a wide array of interventional pain procedures. Objective The aim is to determine the readability of online patient educational materials for interventional pain procedures. Study design This is a retrospective review. Methods We downloaded and reformatted to plain text 492 internet-based patient educational materials for 17 different interventional pain procedures. Plain text was processed using Readability Studio (Oleander Software Ltd., Vandalia, Ohio, USA), which employs 10 quantitative readability scales that are widely used and accepted in the medical literature. Results The software determined the average reading level (or grade level) of the 492 online sources we examined to be 12.1, with a range of 10.9 to 13. Limitations Google is not the only online search engine patients utilize for information, and the top links for each search could change over time. Also, some patients prefer videos rather than text to learn about their disease and treatment options. Finally, depending on their provider, the links that patients are directed to may be significantly more or less readable. Conclusions The average American adult reads at the eighth grade level. The National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association have recommended education materials be made available at the third to seventh grade level. Our analysis shows patient educational materials found online for interventional pain procedures to be overly technical, with an average reading level (or grade level) of 12.1.

Objectives To identify patterns of use, perceived benefits, and barriers among people living with HIV (PLHIV) of online searches for health information and via social media. Methods Online multicentre observational survey (October 15th–19th, 2018). Results Study participation was accepted by 838/1377 PLHIV followed in 46 centres, of which 325 (39%) responded online: 181 (56%) had already used the Internet to search for health information; 88/181 (49%) on HIV infection and 78 (43%) on nutrition. These 56% were characterised by a higher educational level (OR = 1.82 ± 0.50; P = 0.028) and more often consulted other specialists (OR = 3.14 ± 1.26; P = 0.004). A subset of 87/180 (48%) PLHIV had changed the way they looked after their health based on their online research, and were more often in material/social deprivation (P = 0.02) and diabetic (P = 0.02). A small subset of 19/180 (11%) had already asked or answered a question on a forum; these people tended to be women (P = 0.03) in material/social deprivation (P = 0.009). 296/322 (92%) PLHIV trusted their physician whereas only 206 (64%) trusted information sourced on medical websites. 238/323 (74%) PLHIV expected their physicians to recommend websites if asked, whereas only 23/323 (7%) had actually been given this guidance. Conclusion More than half of PLHIV surveyed had already searched for health information on the Internet, and one in two had changed their behaviour based on the online search. PLHIV did not see the Internet as an alternative to physicians but they wanted their physicians to guide them on how to find quality health information to better self-manage their condition.

The use of the Internet for learning provides a unique and growing opportunity to revisit the task of quantifying how much people have learned about a given subject in different regions around the world. Google alone receives over 5 billion searches a day and its publicly available data provides insight into learning process that is otherwise unobservable on a global scale. In this paper we, introduce the Computer Science Literacy-Proxy Index via Search (CSLI-s), a measure that utilizes online search data to make an educated guess around trends in computer science education. This measure uses a statistical signal processing technique to compose search volumes from a spectrum of topics into a coherent score. We intentionally explore and mitigate the biases of search data and, in the process, develop CSLI-s scores that correlate with traditional, more expensive metrics of learning. We then use search-trend data to measure patterns in subject literacy across countries and over time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first measure of learning via Internet search-trends. The Internet is becoming a standard tool for learners and, as such, we anticipate search-trend data will have growing relevance to the learning science community.

When searching the internet e.g. for a person, solution to a problem, or some topic of interest, the wanted outcome is usually specific answers. The result quality for this kind of search is reasonably precise, most of the time we get the answers we need. However, searching a second or third time with the same query, the outcome seems to be minor variations on the same results.So what if the search for information is of a different nature, more like exploring. A typical case would be when a person has a hobby, and time after time wants to search for information about it. Very soon all the quickly accessed information has already been seen, and is not that interesting in the context of new information.This paper presents an approach to Incremental Information Retrieval, where each repeated search with a given query, will provide the user with previously obscured (i.e. unseen) results. We have implemented a prototype system, called IIR, where we demonstrate and test our approach. The system targets situations where users have a continuous information need, that cannot be satisfied through a single search on the Internet, but where the user may want to see new results on the same subject over a period of days, months, or even years. A detailed description of the IIR system and results of our tests are presented.

Increased migration has given rise to more advocacy efforts against female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C), legislation that criminalizes the practice, and guidance to the health sector for managing care of affected groups. More women and girls who have been cut or who are at risk of FGM/C are migrating from regions where it is common to countries where it is not and interacting with health professionals and other community practitioners in these host countries. Despite numerous studies on the negative health impacts of FGM/C, little is known about toolkits on FGM/C that providers can use in their prevention and response efforts. We sought to explore the nature of Internet-based products referenced as toolkits and materials characteristic of toolkits aimed at different service providers who may interact with women and girls affected by FGM/C. Through an online search, we identified 45 toolkits and collected data about each one. We found that the toolkits targeted different audiences and offered a diverse set of information and resources. The majority of toolkits were aimed at health professionals and provided factual and epidemiological-focused content, yet many did not include research evidence, skills development application, or approaches for implementing the toolkit in practice. This review is the first completed in the area of FGM/C to show a rich diversity of online materials. Future toolkits can be improved with the provision of evidence-based information and practical skills development for use by health professionals in implementing best practices in working with women and girls affected by FGM/C.

Taking an active role in healthcare requires comprehensive health knowledge. One's own online search for health information can contribute to an appropriate information base. Therefore, it seems essential to determine the extent to which online services and health apps are currently used in Germany as well as to analyze which personal and motivational factors influence whether and how often the German public search for health information online or use health apps.We conducted an online survey among the German public in a sample stratified by demographic characteristics (N = 3000). The questionnaire measured the health-related use of the Internet and health apps as well as possible personal and motivational factors. The relevance of these factors for explaining the Internet use for health-related purposes was determined by regression analyses.While health-related information searches using the Internet are widespread in Germany, health apps are used less frequently. In particular health information platforms are most frequently used to search for information on disease symptoms. Turning to the Internet for health-related purposes is mainly influenced by motivational factors. Having current health problems and possessing information-seeking skills are particularly influential factors for an individual's Internet use.In order to unfold the potential associated with health-related online information-seeking behaviors, it is necessary that people are motivated and feel competent to gather online information themselves. In particular, the corresponding skills need to be promoted in order to reduce the risk of increasing informational, health, and social disparities.HINTERGRUND UND ZIELE: Die Übernahme einer aktiven Patient*innen-Rolle kann nur auf einer entsprechenden Informationsgrundlage gelingen. Die eigene Suche nach Gesundheitsinformationen im Internet kann zu einer solchen adäquaten Wissensbasis beitragen. Daher erscheint es zentral zu fragen, was die derzeitige Nutzung von Onlineangeboten und Gesundheits-Apps in Deutschland auszeichnet und welche personenbezogenen und motivationalen Einflussfaktoren beeinflussen, ob und wie häufig die Bürger*innen online nach Gesundheitsinformationen suchen oder Gesundheits-Apps nutzen.Zur Beantwortung der Fragestellungen wurde eine an der deutschen Gesamtbevölkerung stratifizierte Onlinebefragung (N = 3000) durchgeführt. Der Fragebogen erfasste die gesundheitsbezogene Nutzung des Internets und von Apps sowie mögliche personenbezogene und motivationale Einflussfaktoren. Die Bedeutung dieser Faktoren für die Internetnutzung wurde mittels Regressionsanalysen ermittelt.Die gesundheitsbezogene Informationssuche mittels Internet ist in Deutschland weitverbreitet, während Gesundheits-Apps noch deutlich seltener genutzt werden. Am häufigsten werden auf Gesundheitsportalen Informationen zu Krankheitssymptomen gesucht. Die Zuwendung zum Internet wird besonders durch motivationale Faktoren geprägt. Akute Betroffenheit von körperlichen Beschwerden und entsprechende Informationskompetenzen sind die einflussreichsten Faktoren für die Internetnutzung.Um die mit der Informationssuche im Internet verbundenen Potenziale zu entfalten, ist es notwendig, dass sich Bürger*innen zur eigenen Suche motiviert und befähigt fühlen. Besonders entsprechende Fähigkeiten gilt es zu fördern, um das Risiko der Verstärkung informationaler, gesundheitlicher und sozialer Unterschiede zu reduzieren.

Based on the Baidu search index of key words, this paper builds online search indexes of keywords related to Beijing tourism concerning the six basic elements of one trip– catering, accommodation, traffic, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment. A vector autoregression model is then built with the time serial date of the online search indexes and the actual number of Beijing domestic trips to forecast the latter. It is found that there is a long-term co-integration relationship between the online search indexes data and the number of domestic trips to Beijing. The model constructed has a good prediction ability for Beijing domestic trips.