scholarly journals Information-Seeking Under Threat: How the Characteristics of Web Searches Changed During the Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Kelly ◽  
Bastien Blain ◽  
Tali Sharot
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Rapid Adaptation ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Global Event ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
High Level ◽  
Google Search ◽  
High Level Feature

Abstract To adjust to novel and threatening environments people seek information. Here, we examine whether and how a threatening global event -–the pandemic– altered the characteristics of the information people sought out online. An analysis of queries submitted to Google search engine revealed that people were more likely to submit queries for information that could guide action (i.e., “How to” and “How do” searches) during the pandemic relative to before, controlling for total search volume. This tendency may have contributed to the rapid adaptation observed in response to the pandemic. Indeed, stress levels reported weekly by 17K individuals predicted the proportion of “How to” and “How do” searches, controlling for COVID-19 related confinement. Markedly, population stress levels were more strongly associated with this high-level feature of web searches than they were with searches for specific terms such as “anxiety” or “stress”. In contrast, COVID-19 related confinement, but not stress levels, was associated with the proportion of “What” and “Why” questions submitted to Google, suggesting that the confinement was related to increased desire for general knowledge. Key results were replicated across two countries (UK and US). The study suggests that in situations of high stress people ask questions that can guide action. An intriguing possibility is that tracking of this feature could be used to monitor population stress levels beyond the pandemic.

scholarly journals Levels of toothache-related interests of Google and YouTube users from developed and developing countries over time

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7706
Author(s):  
Matheus Lotto ◽  
Patricia E.A. Aguirre ◽  
Anna P. Strieder ◽  
Agnes F.P. Cruvinel ◽  
Thiago Cruvinel
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Relative Search Volume ◽  
Google Search ◽  
Over Time

Background The preferences of Web users can be influenced by distinct factors of populations. Hence, hypothetically, source-based patterns of health-related Web searches might differ between individuals from developed and developing countries, due to their distinct educational, social, economic, political, cultural, and psychosocial backgrounds. In this context, this study aimed to determine the trends of toothache-related searches performed on Google Search and YouTube, regarding differences between developed and developing countries. Methods This retrospective longitudinal study analyzed computational metadata on toothache-related interests of Internet users. Google Trends was accessed to obtain the monthly variation of relative search volume (RSV) of the topic “Toothache-Disease” on Google (G) and YouTube (YT) through 2008–2017. Autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation plots, ARIMA models, Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn’s and T tests were performed for evaluating trends, 12-month forecasts and the differences of annual ratios of YT/G searches between developed and developing countries, respectively (P < 0.05). Results Uptrends of RSVs were observed in both country groups over time, although 12-month forecasts tended to plateau.The volumes of searches were higher in developed countries in comparison to developing ones; however, this difference was not observed regarding Google searches performed between 2016 and 2017. Independently of country groups, the ratios YT/G remained relatively constant throughout the period, indicating a greater interest in toothache-related information available on Google. Conclusion In conclusion, toothache-related searches from Google and YouTube increased during the last decade. The preferences of Web users seemed to be influenced by the differences between developed and developing countries, such as the availability and penetration of the Internet, and education levels.

scholarly journals Can the levels of toothache-related interests of Google and YouTube users differ between developed and developing countries over the years?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matheus Lotto ◽  
Patricia EA Aguirre ◽  
Anna P Strieder ◽  
Agnes FP Cruvinel ◽  
Thiago Cruvinel
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Educational Backgrounds ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Relative Search Volume ◽  
Google Search

Background: The preferences of Web users can be influenced by distinct factors of populations, such as the ability of obtaining, processing, and understanding health information adequately. In this sense, hypothetically, source-based patterns of health-related Web searches might differ between individuals from developed and developing countries, due to their educational backgrounds. This study aimed to determine the trends of toothache-related searches performed on Google Search and YouTube, regarding differences between developed and developing countries. Methods: This longitudinal study analyzed computational metadata on toothache-related interests of Internet users. Google Trends was accessed to obtain the monthly variation of relative search volume (RSV) of the topic "Toothache-Disease" on Google (G) and YouTube (YT) through 2008 to 2017. Autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation plots, ARIMA models, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn’s and T tests were performed for evaluating trends, 12-month forecasts and the differences of annual ratios of YT/G searches between developed and developing countries, respectively (P<0.05). Results: Uptrends of RSVs were observed in both country groups over time, although 12-month forecasts tended to plateau. The volumes of searches were larger in developed countries, becoming closer to those observed in developing countries in last years. Independently of country groups, the ratios YT/G remained relatively constant throughout the period, indicating a greater interest in toothache-related information available on Google. Conclusion: In conclusion, toothache-related searches from Google and YouTube increased during the last decade. The preferences of Web users seemed to be influenced by the differences found in the availability and penetration of the Internet, and education levels between developed and developing countries.

scholarly journals Determining the nutritional immunity information seeking behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in India: A Google Trends data analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Savitesh Kushwaha ◽  
Poonam Khanna ◽  
Rachita Jain ◽  
Rachana Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Correlation Method ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Western India ◽  
Nutritional Immunity ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Google Search

Abstract Objective: During COVID-19, the internet was a prime source for getting relevant updates on guidelines and desirable information. The objective of the present study was to determine the nutritional immunity information seeking behaviour during COVID-19 in India. Design: Google Trends (GTs) data on relevant COVID-19 and nutritional topics were systematically selected and retrieved. Data on newly reported COVID-19 cases were also examined on a daily basis. The cross-correlation method was used to determine the correlation coefficient between the selected terms and daily new COVID-19 cases, and the joint point regression models were utilised to measure monthly percent change in relative search volumes. Setting: Online. Participants: People using google search during period 01-01-2020 to 31-08-2020 in India. Results: The date of peak searches can be attributed to the COVID-19 guidelines announcement dates. All the nutritional terms showed a significant increase in average monthly percentage change. The higher than the average daily rise in COVID-19 cases leads to a higher than average increase in RSVs of nutritional terms with the greatest association after 14 to 27 days. The highest mean relative search volume for nutritional terms was from Southern India (49.34±7.43), and the lowest was from Western India (31.10±6.30). Conclusion: There was a significant rise in the google searches of nutritional immunity topics during COVID-19 in India. The local/regional terms can be considered for better outreach of public health guidelines or recommendations. Further automation of Google Trends using programming languages can help in real-time monitoring and planning various health/nutritional events.

scholarly journals Effect of Online Searches on Stock Returns

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Saurabh Ahluwalia
Keyword(s):  
Stock Returns ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Volume Index ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Retail Investors ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Google Search

Various theoretical models assume that information seeking behavior of investors has an impact on prices. However, it is very difficult to empirically test this, since the actual information acquisition process of the investors is unobservable. Using a unique data set from Google Trends, I construct a search volume index (SVI) and use it to proxy for the information seeking behavior of retail investors. Using a portfolio based approach I document the asymmetric response of future returns to the changes in the google search volume. I find that the portfolio with the highest increase in the SVI has positive and significant alphas while portfolios with decrease in SVI show no significant results.  My results are robust to alternative specifications of risk models, time frames and measures of search index. Overall, my results are in line with the hypothesis that retail investors’ trades can effect stock prices.  

scholarly journals Relaxation phenomena of electrical signal emissions from rock following application of abrupt mechanical stress

2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimos Triantis ◽  
Filippos Vallianatos ◽  
Ilias Stavrakas ◽  
George Hloupis
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stress ◽  
Applied Stress ◽  
Rock Sample ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Electrical Signal ◽  
Relaxation Processes ◽  
Significant Information ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
High Level ◽  
Clear Information

<p>The emission of electrical signals during application of mechanical stress to brittle geo-materials (the so-called pressure-stimulated current; PSC) can provide significant information regarding the mechanical status of a studied rock sample. PSCs originate as a result of the opening of cracks and microfractures in rock. In this study, such electrical signal emissions are detected and studied when rock samples are subjected to step-wise mechanical stress, increased from low stress levels vL up to higher stress levels vH. This increase is performed at high stress rates and consequently the stress is maintained practically constant for a long period. During this time, the applied stress reaches its maximum value, and the emitted PSC decays gradually and relaxes back to a minimum value. The conducted experiments suggest that the characteristics of the relaxation processes of the PSC depend directly on the high level of the applied stress that is maintained constant after the application of each stress step. Analysis of the macroscopic parameters that characterize the relaxation phenomenon of the PSC provides clear information regarding the proximity of the applied stress to the fracture limit of the rock sample.</p>

scholarly journals Can the levels of toothache-related interests of Google and YouTube users differ between developed and developing countries over the years?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matheus Lotto ◽  
Patricia EA Aguirre ◽  
Anna P Strieder ◽  
Agnes FP Cruvinel ◽  
Thiago Cruvinel
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Educational Backgrounds ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Relative Search Volume ◽  
Google Search

Background: The preferences of Web users can be influenced by distinct factors of populations, such as the ability of obtaining, processing, and understanding health information adequately. In this sense, hypothetically, source-based patterns of health-related Web searches might differ between individuals from developed and developing countries, due to their educational backgrounds. This study aimed to determine the trends of toothache-related searches performed on Google Search and YouTube, regarding differences between developed and developing countries. Methods: This longitudinal study analyzed computational metadata on toothache-related interests of Internet users. Google Trends was accessed to obtain the monthly variation of relative search volume (RSV) of the topic "Toothache-Disease" on Google (G) and YouTube (YT) through 2008 to 2017. Autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation plots, ARIMA models, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn’s and T tests were performed for evaluating trends, 12-month forecasts and the differences of annual ratios of YT/G searches between developed and developing countries, respectively (P<0.05). Results: Uptrends of RSVs were observed in both country groups over time, although 12-month forecasts tended to plateau. The volumes of searches were larger in developed countries, becoming closer to those observed in developing countries in last years. Independently of country groups, the ratios YT/G remained relatively constant throughout the period, indicating a greater interest in toothache-related information available on Google. Conclusion: In conclusion, toothache-related searches from Google and YouTube increased during the last decade. The preferences of Web users seemed to be influenced by the differences found in the availability and penetration of the Internet, and education levels between developed and developing countries.

scholarly journals Google search volume trends for cancer screening terms during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 096914132199942
Author(s):  
Austin Snyder ◽  
Sean Jang ◽  
Ilana S Nazari ◽  
Avik Som ◽  
Efren J Flores ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Pap Smear ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Lung Cancer Screening ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Cancer Screening Tests ◽  
Google Search

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to delays in cancer diagnosis, in part due to postponement of cancer screening. We used Google Trends data to assess public attention to cancer screening during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Search volume for terms related to established cancer screening tests (“colonoscopy,” “mammogram,” “lung cancer screening,” and “pap smear”) showed a marked decrease of up to 76% compared to the pre-pandemic period, a significantly greater drop than for search volume for terms denoting common chronic diseases. Maintaining awareness of cancer screening during future public health crises may decrease delays in cancer diagnosis.

scholarly journals Google search behavior for meningitis and its vaccines: an infodemiological study

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Angelo Luigi S. Perez ◽  
Adrian I. Espiritu ◽  
Roland Dominic G. Jamora
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Pneumococcal Vaccine ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Online Behavior ◽  
Online Search ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Search Patterns ◽  
Google Search ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The internet has made significant contributions towards health education. Analyzing the pattern of online behavior regarding meningitis and vaccinations may be worthwhile. It is hypothesized that the online search patterns in meningitis are correlated with its number of cases and the search patterns of its related vaccines. Methods This was an infodemiological study that determined the relationship among online search interest in meningitis, its worldwide number of cases and its associated vaccines. Using Google Trends™ Search Volume Indices (SVIs), we evaluated the search queries “meningitis,” “pneumococcal vaccine,” “BCG vaccine,” “meningococcal vaccine” and “influenza vaccine” in January 2021, covering January 2008 to December 2020. Spearman rank correlation was used to determine correlations between these queries. Results The worldwide search interest in meningitis from 2008 to 2020 showed an average SVI of 46 ± 8.8. The most searched topics were symptoms, vaccines, and infectious agents with SVIs of 100, 52, and 39, respectively. The top three countries with the highest search interest were Ghana, Kazakhstan, and Kenya. There were weak, but statistically significant correlations between meningitis and the BCG (ρ = 0.369, p < 0.001) and meningococcal (ρ = 0.183, p < 0.05) vaccines. There were no statistically significant associations between the number of cases, influenza vaccine, and pneumococcal vaccine. Conclusion The relationships among the Google SVIs for meningitis and its related vaccines and number of cases data were inconsistent and remained unclear. Future infodemiological studies may expand their scopes to social media, semantics, and big data for more robust conclusions.

scholarly journals Person Re-Identification Based on Attention Mechanism and Context Information Fusion

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Shengbo Chen ◽  
Hongchang Zhang ◽  
Zhou Lei
Keyword(s):  
Information Fusion ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Features Extraction ◽  
Attention Mechanism ◽  
Cross Entropy ◽  
Context Information ◽  
Feature Map ◽  
High Level ◽  
Surveillance Analysis ◽  
High Level Feature

Person re-identification (ReID) plays a significant role in video surveillance analysis. In the real world, due to illumination, occlusion, and deformation, pedestrian features extraction is the key to person ReID. Considering the shortcomings of existing methods in pedestrian features extraction, a method based on attention mechanism and context information fusion is proposed. A lightweight attention module is introduced into ResNet50 backbone network equipped with a small number of network parameters, which enhance the significant characteristics of person and suppress irrelevant information. Aiming at the problem of person context information loss due to the over depth of the network, a context information fusion module is designed to sample the shallow feature map of pedestrians and cascade with the high-level feature map. In order to improve the robustness, the model is trained by combining the loss of margin sample mining with the loss function of cross entropy. Experiments are carried out on datasets Market1501 and DukeMTMC-reID, our method achieves rank-1 accuracy of 95.9% on the Market1501 dataset, and 90.1% on the DukeMTMC-reID dataset, outperforming the current mainstream method in case of only using global feature.

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