Spatial and temporal patterns of burn-related search interest in Brazil: a cross-sectional infodemiology…

Abstract

Purpose: Burns are a leading cause of preventable morbidity globally, yet web search data’s value for burn surveillance is unclear. We investigated spatiotemporal associations between Google Trends interest and burn hospitalizations across Brazilian states. Methods: An ecological study covered all Brazilian states in 2023–2024, using the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System/Hospital Information System (DATASUS/SIH) hospitalizations, Google Trends scores for “queimadura” (0–100 scale), and 2022 Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics’ census estimates. Spearman’s correlation, global Moran’s I, and SaTScan assessed correlation, autocorrelation, and temporal clustering. Results: A total of 64,380 burn hospitalizations occurred (32,075 in 2023; 32,305 in 2024), and incidence ranged from 0.47 to 53.77 per 100,000 inhabitants. Search interest correlated moderately with burn incidence in 2023 (ρ = 0.44; p = 0.02). Google Trends scores showed significant spatial autocorrelation in both years (2023: I = 0.36, p = 0.004; 2024: I = 0.25, p = 0.02), while hospitalization incidence did not. A temporal cluster occurred from June to October 2024 (relative risk = 1.08); related searches focused on treatment-seeking and first-aid. Conclusion: Search interest partially reflects the geographic and temporal burden of burns in Brazil, though inconsistently and independently of hospitalization patterns. Google Trends may complement burn surveillance, but findings warrant cautious interpretation pending further validation.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{neto2026spatial,
  title = {{Spatial and temporal patterns of burn-related search interest in Brazil: a cross-sectional infodemiology study (2023–2024)}},
  author = {Wilson Falco Neto and Guilherme Spuri Martins and Ricardo Baruque and Giovanna Cosin Ferreira da Silva and Bernardo Gabriele Collaco and Pedro Henrique Soubhia Sanches},
  journal = {Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1590/acb416726},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1590/acb416726},
  note = {CC BY},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Spatial and temporal patterns of burn-related search interest in Brazil: a cross-sectional infodemiology study (2023–2024)
AU  - Wilson Falco Neto
AU  - Guilherme Spuri Martins
AU  - Ricardo Baruque
AU  - Giovanna Cosin Ferreira da Silva
AU  - Bernardo Gabriele Collaco
AU  - Pedro Henrique Soubhia Sanches
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/09
JO  - Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira
DO  - 10.1590/acb416726
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1590/acb416726
AB  - Purpose: Burns are a leading cause of preventable morbidity globally, yet web search data’s value for burn surveillance is unclear. We investigated spatiotemporal associations between Google Trends interest and burn hospitalizations across Brazilian states. Methods: An ecological study covered all Brazilian states in 2023–2024, using the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System/Hospital Information System (DATASUS/SIH) hospitalizations, Google Trends scores for “queimadura” (0–100 scale), and 2022 Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics’ census estimates. Spearman’s correlation, global Moran’s I, and SaTScan assessed correlation, autocorrelation, and temporal clustering. Results: A total of 64,380 burn hospitalizations occurred (32,075 in 2023; 32,305 in 2024), and incidence ranged from 0.47 to 53.77 per 100,000 inhabitants. Search interest correlated moderately with burn incidence in 2023 (ρ = 0.44; p = 0.02). Google Trends scores showed significant spatial autocorrelation in both years (2023: I = 0.36, p = 0.004; 2024: I = 0.25, p = 0.02), while hospitalization incidence did not. A temporal cluster occurred from June to October 2024 (relative risk = 1.08); related searches focused on treatment-seeking and first-aid. Conclusion: Search interest partially reflects the geographic and temporal burden of burns in Brazil, though inconsistently and independently of hospitalization patterns. Google Trends may complement burn surveillance, but findings warrant cautious interpretation pending further validation.
SN  - 1678-2674
SN  - 0102-8650
ER  -

Abstract

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