Monitoring Public Health During the 2023 Maui Wildfire Using Google Search Trends

Wildfires pose acute and long-term threats to public health. This study used Google Trends to assess real-time public interest in health-related topics before, during and after the August 2023 Maui wildfires. Search terms were grouped into four categories: health care access, physical health, mental health, and help-seeking behavior. Daily search interest scores were aggregated and analyzed across three periods: pre-wildfire, wildfire, and post-wildfire. Findings revealed that physical health and health care access search interest remained relatively stable throughout the study period, with no measurable surge during or after the wildfire event. This lack of increase may reflect reliance on pre-established care plans among individuals with chronic respiratory conditions, in-person care-seeking, or prioritization of immediate safety over online information-seeking. In contrast, mental health-related searches rose substantially in the weeks following the wildfire, while help-seeking searches showed episodic fluctuations with notable peaks post-disaster. These findings illustrate how online search patterns can reveal evolving public health priorities in the wake of disasters. Google Trends offers a timely and scalable tool to monitor evolving health concerns during disasters, complementing traditional surveillance systems. Integrating search data into disaster response planning could enhance resource allocation, guide communication strategies, and ensure timely support for emerging needs, particularly mental health recovery following wildfire events.