Infodemiology as a Powerful Tool in Public Health: Bridging the Digital Divide for Better Well-being

Abstract

Infodemiology, an emerging interdisciplinary field situated at the confluence of information science and epidemiology, has experienced significant growth in recent times. Playing a crucial role in epidemiological surveillance, infodemiology provides a supplementary perspective to conventional data sources. By monitoring variations in search volume over time, infodemiology researchers can discern shifts in public attention, emotions, or awareness pertaining to diverse health issues. This enables the timely detection of potential epidemics, emerging health concerns, or alterations in public consciousness, facilitating a more proactive approach to public health responses. Several tools, particularly Google Trends, are integral to the functioning of Infodemiology. Leveraging internet search intent, Google Trends can map population-wide public interest, utilizing extensive data sets across temporal and spatial dimensions to infer trends in disease prevalence. This paper presents a review of the diverse applications of Infodemiology in modern public health disease surveillance, highlighting the utility of Google Trends as a powerful tool within the Infodemiology framework. Advantages and limitations of Infodemiology are also examined. Through this review, we aim to elucidate the transformative potential of Infodemiology in bridging the digital divide for improved well-being.