193
Views
1
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

Public Interest in Cataract Surgery: Analysis and Implications of Google Trends Data from 14 European Countries

ORCID Icon, , , , &
Pages 108-115 | Received 05 Jan 2021, Accepted 09 Mar 2021, Published online: 31 Mar 2021
 

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the European Union (EU) annually. Analysis of Google Trends (GT) data could give European eye care providers useful information regarding interest in cataract surgery and potential barriers making patients unwilling to undergo surgery.

Methods

Data were collected using GT for cataract surgery and the two most related queries, for each of 14 included countries from January 2004 to December 2018. Case volumes were extracted from the Eurostat report for the calendar years 2004–2018.

Results

The most related queries analysis demonstrated surgery outcomes, founding issues and understanding of the disease as potential factors for patients considering cataract surgery. Trend analysis showed that the total search volumes for “cataract surgery” gradually increased over the study period. Also, for “cataract”, “after cataract surgery”, “cataract surgery NHF” rising trends were revealed. Trends found for “cataract surgery price” and “cataract surgery complications” were inconclusive. Univariate linear regression analysis demonstrated statistically significant correlations between average annual search volumes of “cataract surgery” and the annual volume of cataract surgeries performed in included countries, according to Eurostat data (R2 = 0.889, p = <.001). In addition, univariate linear regression analyses revealed similar, statistically significant correlation for each the most related queries.

Conclusion

To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first and the only analysis of GT data in the ophthalmology literature to date. This study highlights this potentially powerful data set for European eye care providers.

Acknowledgments

Nothing to acknowledge.

Disclosure of statement

None of the authors has any proprietary interests or conflicts of interest related to this submission.

Financial support

This work did not receive any financial support.

Additional information

Funding

This work did not receive any financial support.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.