Public interest in chronic kidney disease and dialysis: a 20-year data analysis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing global health challenge. As the disease progresses, it can lead to end-stage renal disease, necessitating dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, access to these life-saving treatments is often limited by geographic, financial, and resource constraints, underscoring the importance of public awareness and interest. This study examined global and U.S. search trends related to CKD and dialysis using Google Trends™ data from 2004 to 2024. Public search activity was measured using the Relative Search Interest (RSI) index, which ranges from 0 to 100. Both CKD and dialysis exhibited an upward trend in search activity worldwide and in the U.S., as indicated by a positive slope in linear regression analysis (all p < .0001), though some fluctuations and regional differences were observed. Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between the U.S. dialysis RSI scores from Google Trends and real-world dialysis incidence rates from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) (r = 0.961, p < .0001). Notably, in 2020, search activity for both CKD and dialysis declined, likely due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlights the potential of Google Trends as a valuable tool for assessing public interest and awareness of kidney health, providing insights that can inform public health strategies and educational initiatives. However, relying solely on Google Trends data to assess public interest is insufficient, due to inherent limitations and biases. Findings derived from search trends should be interpreted with caution and ideally supplemented with additional research methodologies.