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Google Trends: Opportunities and limitations in health and health policy research

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  • Arora, Vishal S.
  • McKee, Martin
  • Stuckler, David

Abstract

Web search engines have become pervasive in recent years, obtaining information easily on a variety of topics, from customer services and goods to practical information. Beyond these search interests, however, there is growing interest in obtaining health advice or information online. As a result, health and health policy researchers are starting to take note of potential data sources for surveillance and research, such as Google Trends™, a publicly available repository of information on real-time user search patterns. While research using Google Trends™ is growing, use of the dataset still remains limited. This paper offers an overview of the use of such data in a variety of contexts, while providing information on its strengths, limitations, and recommendations for further improvement.

Suggested Citation

  • Arora, Vishal S. & McKee, Martin & Stuckler, David, 2019. "Google Trends: Opportunities and limitations in health and health policy research," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(3), pages 338-341.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:123:y:2019:i:3:p:338-341
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.01.001
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