Assessment of the Impact of Media Coverage on COVID-19-Related Google Trends Data: Infodemiology Study.

BACKGROUND: The influence of media coverage on web-based searches may hinder the role of Google Trends (GT) in monitoring coronavirus disease (COVID-19). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether COVID-19-related GT data, particularly those related to ageusia and anosmia, were primarily related to media coverage or to epidemic trends. METHODS: We retrieved GT query data for searches on coronavirus, cough, anosmia, and ageusia and plotted them over a period of 5 years. In addition, we analyzed the trends of those queries for 17 countries throughout the year 2020 with a particular focus on the rises and peaks of the searches. For anosmia and ageusia, we assessed whether the respective GT data correlated with COVID-19 cases and deaths both throughout 2020 and specifically before March 16, 2020 (ie, the date when the media started reporting that these symptoms can be associated with COVID-19). RESULTS: Over the last five years, peaks for coronavirus searches in GT were only observed during the winter of 2020. Rises and peaks in coronavirus searches appeared at similar times in the 17 different assessed countries irrespective of their epidemic situations. In 15 of these countries, rises in anosmia and ageusia searches occurred in the same week or 1 week after they were identified in the media as symptoms of COVID-19. When data prior to March 16, 2020 were analyzed, anosmia and ageusia GT data were found to have variable correlations with COVID-19 cases and deaths in the different countries. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that COVID-19-related GT data are more closely related to media coverage than to epidemic trends.

An e-health interactive self-assessment website (Sanoia®) in rheumatoid arthritis. A 12-month randomized controlled trial in 320 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Sanoia is an online interactive electronic e-health platform developed to allow patient self-assessment and self-monitoring. The objective was to assess in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, the efficacy on patient-physician interactions, of giving access to Sanoia. METHODS: In this French, multi-center, 12-months randomized controlled trial (CarNET: NCT02200068), patients with RA and internet access were randomized to: access without incentives to the Sanoia platform after minimal training, or usual care. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in patient-physician interactions, by the patient-reported Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions (PEPPI-5) questionnaire. The number of accesses to Sanoia was recorded and satisfaction with the platform was assessed through a 0-10 numeric rating scale. Analyses were in intention to treat (ITT), on SAS. RESULTS: Of 320 RA patients (159 Sanoia versus 161 usual care), mean (standard deviation) age was 57.0 (12.7) years, mean (SD) disease duration was 14.6 (11.1) years, 216 (67.5%) were taking a biologic and 253 (79.1%) were female. Mean (SD) PEPPI scores at baseline and 12 months were 38.6 (8.2) and 39.2 (8.0) (delta=+0.60 [5.52]) versus 39.7 (7.3) and 38.8 (8.0) (delta=-0.91 [6.08]) in the Sanoia and control group, respectively (P=0.01). Although mean satisfaction with the platform was very high (1.46 [1.52]), 41 patients (25.7%) never accessed Sanoia. CONCLUSION: Giving RA patients access to the interactive Sanoia e-health platform led to a small improvement in patient-perceived patient-physician interactions. A disjunction between patient satisfaction and access to the platform was noted. E-Health platforms are promising in RA.