TY  - JOUR
AU  - Tan, Si Ying
AU  - Tang, Matilda Swee Sun
AU  - Ong, Chin-Ann Johnny
AU  - Tan, Veronique Kiak Mien
AU  - Shannon, Nicholas Brian
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/6/6
TI  - Impact of COVID-19 on Public Interest in Breast Cancer Screening and Related Symptoms: Google Trends Analysis
JO  - JMIR Cancer
SP  - e39105
VL  - 9
KW  - breast cancer screening
KW  - breast cancer symptoms
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - public interest
KW  - Google Trends
KW  - screening
KW  - breast cancer
KW  - symptoms
KW  - cancer
KW  - trend
KW  - mammography
KW  - monitoring
AB  - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a decrease in cancer screening due to the redeployment of health care resources and public avoidance of health care facilities. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in female individuals, with improved survival rates from early detection. An avoidance of screening, resulting in late detection, greatly affects survival and increases health care resource burden and costs. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate if a sustained decrease in public interest in screening occurred and to evaluate other search terms, and hence interest, associated with that. Methods: This study used Google Trends to analyze public interest in breast cancer screening and symptoms. We queried search data for 4 keyword terms (“mammogram,” “breast pain,” “breast lump,” and “nipple discharge”) from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2022. The relative search frequency metric was used to assess interest in these terms, and related queries were retrieved for each keyword to evaluate trends in search patterns. Results: Despite an initial drastic drop in interest in mammography from March to April 2020, this quickly recovered by July 2020. After this period, alongside the recovery of interest in screening, there was a rapid increase in interest for arranging for mammography. Relative search frequencies of perceived breast cancer–related symptoms such as breast lump, nipple discharge, and breast pain remained stable. There was increase public interest in natural and alternative therapy of breast lumps despite the recovery of interest in mammography and breast biopsy. There was a significant correlation between search activity and Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Conclusions: Online search interest in breast cancer screening experienced a sharp decline at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent return to baseline interest in arranging for mammography followed this short period of decreased interest. 
SN  - 2369-1999
UR  - https://cancer.jmir.org/2023/1/e39105
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/39105
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37163461
DO  - 10.2196/39105
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/39105
ER  -