Introduction:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a significant health concern worldwide, leading to the need for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) among some critically ill patients. The Internet has become a crucial resource for healthcare information. This study analyzes global and regional Internet search queries related to AKI and CRRT using Google Trends to understand public interest and awareness over time.
Methods:
A comprehensive search for the official terms AKI and CRRT was executed using Google Trends, spanning the period from January 2004 to March 2024. The analysis covered global trends and detailed insights from the United States, including a state-by-state breakdown. Google Trends indices were reviewed to identify patterns, peaks of interest, and temporal trends in public interest, with a comparative analysis of regional variations across the United States and top-ranking countries worldwide.
Results:
Global interest in AKI peaked in October 2022, with the lowest interest in December 2016. Portugal, Zambia, and Spain showed the highest regional interest in AKI globally. Within the United States, peak interest was in February 2008, with a recent 10.71% increase from March 2023 to March 2024. Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia were the top states interested in AKI. Interest in CRRT peaked globally in March 2024, with a 13.64% increase from the previous year. The lowest point of interest was in November 2006. South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain led the global interest in CRRT. In the United States, peak interest was in April 2020, with a recent 10.98% increase from March 2023 to March 2024. West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky showed the highest state-specific interest in CRRT.
Conclusions:
Our findings reveal significant global and regional variations in public interest regarding AKI and CRRT over the past two decades. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the factors influencing these variations, such as education level, access to insurance, and the rural-urban divide, to develop targeted strategies for improving patient care, education, and outcomes. By leveraging internet search query data, healthcare professionals and policymakers can gain valuable insights into public interest and tailor their efforts accordingly. Future research should explore the relationships between public interest, socioeconomic factors, and patient outcomes to guide evidence-based interventions and policies that can enhance the prevention, diagnosis, and management of AKI and CRRT worldwide.
I have no potential conflict of interest to disclose.
I did not use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.