Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT475

Introduction: Thyroid diseases are a significant global health concern, affecting millions of people worldwide. Despite their prevalence, public awareness and understanding of these conditions are often limited. World Thyroid Day (WTD), observed annually on May 25th, is a significant event, conceived to raise awareness about thyroid health and the various diseases related to the thyroid gland. The importance of such an awareness day lies in its potential to educate the public, encourage prevention and early detection, and provide a platform for advocacy and support. The rise of the internet and search engines like Google has transformed the way people seek health information. This study aims to explore the global and Greek Google search trends for thyroid disease, providing insights into public interest and awareness.

Aim: The primary aim of this study is to analyze the volume and patterns of Google searches related to thyroid disease globally and in Greece.

Method: The study used a retrospective observational design, using Google Trends data from 2008 to 2024. The search term “thyroid” (along with its Greek translation) was used for internet searches worldwide and also focused on Greece, as obtained from Google Trends. The results were broken into time periods, which were dictated by changes in Google’s algorithms. Analyses of the relevant internet search interest for May (month of the WTD) vs all the other months per year, as well overall over time, were done with the Chi square and Pearson’s test, respectively.

Results: Internet searches in months with WTDs were on a par with other months. Worldwide, a negative trend in internet searches (2008-2015) was followed by a positive one (2016-2019), whereas in Greece, trends were positive (2011-2015, for searches in English, 2016-2019, for searches in Greek and 2022-2024 for searches in both languages).

Discussion: An increase in searches related to thyroid health, symptoms, treatments, and related topics could suggest that the awareness campaign has successfully reached a significant number of people and prompted them to seek more information, regardless of the fact that searches were not numerous in months with WTDs. However, while changes in Google searches can provide valuable insights, they should be used in conjunction with other indicators. This is because not all people who become aware of thyroid health issues will turn to Google for more information. Furthermore, an increase in searches does not necessarily translate into changes in health behaviors or improvements in health outcomes.