ArticleDer Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete2019
[Pruritus in Germany-a Google search engine analysis].
Article in Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Public Information Needs and Interest in Specific Food and Drug Allergy Disorders in Germany (2022-2024): Google Search Engine Analysis.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Exploring the Thoughts, Needs and Fears of Chemotherapy Patients-An Analysis Based on Google Search Behavior.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- [Atopic dermatitis-identifying needs in the German population by internet search queries].Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete · 2022Article
- [Web search data as health data? : Geographic differences, temporal trends, and topics of interest from internet search engine analyses in Germany].Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete · 2022Review
- Prescription Behaviour and Barriers to Prescription of Biologicals for Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Skin Diseases in Dermatological Practice in Two German Federal States.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2021Article
- [Health care of chronic inflammatory skin diseases : Do affected individuals seek dermatological care?]Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete · 2019Article
- Influence of Climate on Google Internet Searches for Pruritus Across 16 German Cities: Retrospective Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBecause affected persons often do not visit a doctor, the prevalence of chronic and acute pruritus in the general population is difficult to determine.
objectivesThe aim of this study is to estimate the frequency and the most common locations of pruritus in German internet users, who-with 62.4 million persons-represent a large majority of the German population, by analysing the Google search volume. MATERIALS AND
methodsRelevant keywords for the subject "pruritus" were identified and analysed using the Google AdWords Keyword Planner. The assessment period was January 2015 to December 2016.
resultsIn total the Google AdWords Keyword Planner identified 701 keywords for the topic "Juckreiz" (German lay word for pruritus), resulting in 7,531,890 pruritus-related Google searches during the assessment period. Most common search terms were the German lay term for atopic eczema ("Neurodermitis", 23.7%), the German lay term for psoriasis ("Schuppenflechte", 17.8%) and "psoriasis" (13%). The German lay term for pruritus ("Juckreiz") was only the sixth most searched term (3%). Most searches (72%) focused on influencing factors for pruritus, especially on skin diseases and skin conditions. The most commonly searched location was pruritus on the whole body, followed by anal pruritus. Analysis of the temporal course showed a higher monthly search volume during winter.
conclusionWith its unconventional methodology, a Google search engine analysis, this study allows a rough estimation of the medical need of pruritus in the German general population, which seems to be higher than expected. Especially pruritus in the anal area was identified as an unmet medical need.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.