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Using Google Trends to explore the New Zealand public's interest in bariatric surgery
- Source :
- ANZ Journal of Surgery. 88:1274-1278
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2018.
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND Bariatric surgery, in recent times, has gained media attention that has influenced individual, healthcare provider and wider societal attitudes towards bariatric surgery. Studies exploring public and media levels of interest in bariatric surgery have been performed overseas but studies within New Zealand (NZ) are scarce. Analysis of Google Trends data may be a useful source of information in investigating public interest levels in bariatric surgery. We aimed to analyse Google Trends information on Internet searches in NZ and to explore sequential relationships with relevant changes in policy. METHODS Key search terms for our Google Trends query were retrieved by independently reviewing news articles relating to bariatric surgery in NZ published between January 2007 and December 2017 and following a brainstorming session. Trend analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel 14.7.2. Data were captured for both NZ and worldwide search interests in Google Trends. RESULTS Trend analyses showed that total search volumes for 'lap band' and 'lap band surgery' declined while 'gastric sleeve' and 'gastric sleeve surgery' increased exponentially over the 10-year period. Furthermore, search interests for key terms in NZ were comparable with those worldwide. CONCLUSION Our findings reveal that search interests related to bariatric surgery in NZ mirror those worldwide. This includes the popularity of some bariatric procedures over others. The use of Google Trends may provide us with an additional tool to evaluate public interest levels related to bariatric surgery in NZ and could add value in examining the socio-cultural and political contexts of obesity and bariatric surgery.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
business.industry
Societal attitudes
030209 endocrinology & metabolism
General Medicine
Public opinion
Patient advocacy
Popularity
Public interest
Surgery
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Brainstorming
Medicine
The Internet
030212 general & internal medicine
business
Mass media
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14451433
- Volume :
- 88
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- ANZ Journal of Surgery
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........e393d0b681f92e0b5a84387fd164226b