Cancer Internet Search Activity on Yahoo! (2001-2003)
Author Information
Author(s): Crystale Purvis Cooper, Mallon Kenneth P, Steven Leadbetter, Lori A Pollack, Lucy A Peipins, Jansen Jim
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
The study aimed to test the correlation between Yahoo! cancer search activity and estimated cancer incidence, mortality, and news coverage.
Conclusion
Media coverage appears to play a powerful role in prompting online searches for cancer information.
Supporting Evidence
- Yahoo! cancer search activity correlated with estimated cancer incidence and mortality.
- Search activity was higher on weekdays and during national cancer awareness months.
- Sharp increases in search activity were associated with relevant news coverage.
Takeaway
People search for cancer information online more when they see news about it. This study looked at how often people searched for cancer info on Yahoo! from 2001 to 2003.
Methodology
The study analyzed Yahoo! cancer search activity data, cancer incidence and mortality estimates, and news coverage from 2001 to 2003.
Potential Biases
One author was employed by Yahoo! Inc, which may introduce bias.
Limitations
The findings may not be generalizable to other search engines, and the motivations behind searches were not discerned.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P = .001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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