ArticleClinical rheumatology2026
Association of ambient humidity with online search interest in musculoskeletal stiffness across the United States.
Article in Clinical rheumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundWeather-related worsening of musculoskeletal symptoms is widely reported by patients, yet prior clinical studies have shown inconsistent associations between environmental conditions and pain. Population-level online search behavior may provide an additional lens through which to study symptom concern and health information-seeking behavior.
objectiveTo evaluate the association between ambient humidity and online search interest related to musculoskeletal stiffness in the United States.
methodsState-level climate data was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Average dew point from 2021 to 2026 was used as a proxy for ambient humidity. Google Trends was queried for musculoskeletal stiffness-related terms, including "muscle stiffness," "joint stiffness," "stiff," and "arthritis," over the same period. Search interest values were aggregated by state and normalized to state population and baseline search activity using selected control terms. Linear regression was performed to assess the association between average dew point and normalized search interest.
resultsSearch interest demonstrated geographic variation across the United States. States with higher average dew points generally exhibited higher normalized search interest for musculoskeletal stiffness-related terms. A statistically significant positive association was observed between average dew point and normalized search interest.
conclusionHigher ambient humidity was associated with greater population-level online search interest related to musculoskeletal stiffness. These findings suggest that interest search behavior may serve as a complementary population-level signal for studying environmental correlates of symptom concern. Key Points • Across US states from 2021 to 2026, higher average dew point was associated with greater musculoskeletal stiffness search interest (r = 0.32, p = 0.024), supporting a population-level link between ambient humidity and stiffness-related information-seeking behavior. • To our knowledge, this is among the first nationwide digital epidemiology studies to specifically examine humidity and stiffness-related search behavior, addressing a gap in literature that has largely focused on temperature and pain rather than humidity and stiffness. • Population-level online search behavior, when normalized against nonmedical control terms and population size, may serve as a complementary, continuously updated signal for studying environmental correlates of musculoskeletal symptom perception alongside traditional clinical data.
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