OK Computer? A Time Analysis of Google Searches About Symptoms

Background: Google searches are now a popular way for individuals to seek information about the significance of common symptoms and whether they should seek medical assistance. As analysis of search patterns may help understand the demand for medical care, we examined what times over a 24-hour period and on what days of the week people searched Google for information about common symptoms. Method: We analysed Google searches for symptoms in the United Kingdom during the week from July 30 to August 5, 2018 using Google Trends. We recorded the time points with the highest search volume for 50 common symptoms relative to other searches, and the day of the week with the highest search peak for each particular symptom. Results: All of the peak searches for the symptoms we examined occurred during the night between 10pm and 8am. The majority 32/50 (64%) occurred between 3am to 6am with 12/50 (24%) between midnight and 3am. Most symptom searches were more common during the week and lowest during the weekend. Typically, searches for a particular symptom peaked at a similar time each night over the week. Conclusions: Searches for symptoms are significantly more common during night-time hours, and particularly between 3 and 6am. Symptom searches show relatively stable diurnal and weekly patterns. Google searches for health information are common and individuals regularly search for their specific symptoms before deciding whether to seek medical care. Searches for common symptoms are significantly more likely to occur, relative to other searches, during the night-time hours and are highest during the working week and lowest at weekends. The majority of symptom searches show relatively stable diurnal and weekly patterns