Googling Allergy in Ireland: Content Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Public Health
• Allergology

Background:

• Rising prevalence of allergies globally.
• Increasing reliance on internet search engines for medical information.
• Variability in the quality of online health content.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess Ireland's high rate of web-based allergy searches.
• Determine the accuracy of online allergy information available to the public.
• Compare Dublin's search results with other urban centers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Google Trends for 10-year allergy search term analysis.
• Inputted search terms into Google, localized to Ireland, UK, and US cities.
• Clinically reviewed search results for evidence-based accuracy.
• Repeated Dublin searches in 2015 and 2019 to track changes.

Main Results:

• Ireland shows high global search interest for allergy terms.
• Over 60% of Dublin allergy websites in 2015 were non-evidence-based.
• Marginal improvement by 2019, but alternative testing promoted frequently.
• Lack of government health websites in top Dublin search results.

Conclusions:

• Irish public has high demand for online allergy information.
• Lower proportion of evidence-based websites in Ireland compared to other centers.
• Contributing factors include lack of specialist register and underfunded services.
• Investment in digital health promotion is crucial for patient health outcomes.