Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35660035›Full record

ArticleVaccine2022

Utilizing Google trends to monitor coronavirus vaccine interest and hesitancies.

Emily Merrick, Joshua P Weissman, Sameer J Patel

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Vaccine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Hesitancy and compulsory vaccination: are non-mandatory vaccines the victims? A study on Italian regions.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Emily MerrickNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Joshua P WeissmanNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Sameer J PatelNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: sjpatel@luriechildrens.org.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVaccine hesitancy remains a serious challenge for ending the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Digital media has played an immense role in the spread of information during the pandemic. One method to gauge public interest in COVID-19 related information is to examine patterns of online search queries.

methodsGoogle Trends (GT) was used to analyze results for search terms relating to COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, information, and accessibility from October 1st, 2020 to May 27th, 2021. GT allows you to compare multiple queries at one time. The resultant relative search volumes (RSVs)range from 0 to 100. The search term andpoint in time on the graph that has the greatest search volume is given a score of 100 and all other terms and times are given values relative to that maximum. Search interest peaks were analyzed by subgroups (misinformation, information seeking, and access seeking) and across key time points throughout the pandemic.

resultsGT analysis revealed that search interest related to vaccine misinformation, general information, and access seeking changed in relation to events taking place throughout the pandemic. The most commonly searched terms in each subgroup were: "Covid vaccine infertility", "Covid vaccine side effects", and "Covid vaccine appointment". Searches related to misinformation peaked in December 2020. Search terms in the general information category peaked in April 2021. RSVs for access seeking terms peaked in March 2021 and have decreased since April 2021.

conclusionMisinformation RSVs were highest after FDA authorization and have multiple repeated spikes after subsequent vaccine announcements. General information seeking terms peaked concurrently with increased vaccination uptake in the United States. Search interest has decreased with wider vaccine availability, despite many individuals in the United States remaining unvaccinated. GT can be used to monitor trends in public attitudes and misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccines and further target education.

Indexed as

CoronavirusCOVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesHumansInternetSearch EngineUnited StatesVaccinationCOVID-19 VaccinesCoronavirusCovid-19Google trendsVaccine hesitancyVaccine misinformation

Identifiers

PMID35660035
PMCPMC9149202

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.