Impact of COVID-19 on Public Interest in Breast Cancer Screening and Related Symptoms: A Google Trends Analysis.

Abstract

The COVID-19 Pandemic has led to a decrease in cancer screening due to redeployment of healthcare resources and public avoidance of healthcare facilities. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, with improved survival rates with early detection. An avoidance of screening, resulting in late detection, greatly affects survival and increases healthcare resource burden and costs. To evaluate if a sustained decrease in public interest in screening occurred, and to evaluate other search terms, and hence interest, associated with that. This study utilized Google Trends to analyze public interest in breast cancer screening and symptoms. We queried search data for four keyword terms ("mammogram", "breast pain", "breast lump", and "nipple discharge") from 2019-01-01 to 2022-01-01. The relative search frequency (RSF) metric was used to assess interest in these terms, and related queries were retrieved for each keyword to evaluate trends in search patterns. Despite an initial drastic drop in interest in mammography from March-April 2020, this quickly recovered by July 2020. After this period, alongside recovery of interest in screening there was a rapid increase in interest for arranging for mammography. Relative search frequencies of perceived Breast Cancer related symptoms such as Breast Lump, Nipple Discharge and Breast Pain remained stable. There was increase public interest in natural and alternative therapy of breast lumps despite recovery of interest in mammography and breast biopsy. There was a significant correlation between search activity and Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) in October. Online search interest in breast cancer screening experienced a sharp decline at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent return to baseline interest in arranging mammography followed this short period of decreased interest.