Using Search Engine Data to Explore Interest in PrEP and HIV Testing in the United States

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Public awareness of HIV prevention methods like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV testing is crucial for disease control.
• Understanding factors influencing public knowledge-seeking behaviors is essential for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze public awareness of PrEP and HIV testing in the US using Google search data.
• To correlate search interest with state-level HIV prevalence and diagnoses.
• To identify events driving online interest in HIV prevention and testing.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Google search data (January 2014-2019) for PrEP and HIV testing keywords.
• Compared search volumes with state HIV prevalence and new diagnoses data.
• Analyzed Google News for events coinciding with search volume spikes, controlling for socioeconomic factors.

Main Results:

• A 3% increase in PrEP and HIV testing search volume was associated with each unit increase in state HIV prevalence.
• Short-term search spikes correlated with celebrity news and pharmaceutical advertising.
• Search data effectively reflects public knowledge-seeking and interest drivers.

Conclusions:

• Google search data is a valuable tool for monitoring public awareness of HIV prevention and testing.
• Public interest in HIV topics is influenced by media events and targeted marketing.
• Insights from search trends can inform public health strategies and communication efforts.