Using Infodemiology Metrics to Assess Public Interest in Liver Transplantation: Google Trends Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative treatment for end-stage liver disease. Less than 10% of global transplantation needs are met worldwide, and the need for LT is still increasing. The death rates on the waiting list remain too high.

Objective

It is, therefore, critical to raise awareness among the public and health care providers and in turn increasingly acquire donors.

Methods

We performed a Google Trends search using the search terms liver transplantation and liver transplant on October 15, 2020. On the basis of the resulting monthly data, the annual average Google Trends indices were calculated for the years 2004 to 2018. We not only investigated the trend worldwide but also used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Spain,

SUBMITTER: Effenberger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8408753 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature