Infodemiology and hearing: analysis of the search behavior of the Brazilian population.

PURPOSE: To investigate the online search behavior of the Brazilian population for information related to hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness.

METHODS

This ecological and infodemiological study analyzed online search behavior in Brazil for the terms "Hearing Loss," "Dizziness," and "Tinnitus" from January 2014 to May 2024, using data from Google Trends™. Normalized relative search volumes (VPR) were calculated, and correlations between the terms were analyzed using Spearman's test, trend analysis with the Mann-Kendall test, and structural breaks with a significance level of 5%.

RESULTS

Significant correlations were found between the terms "Dizziness" and "Hearing Loss," "Tinnitus" and "Hearing Loss," and "Tinnitus" and "Dizziness." An increasing trend in VPR was observed for "Hearing Loss," "Dizziness," and "Tinnitus." Structural breaks for each search term occurred in the following periods: Hearing Loss (two breaks): February 2016 and January 2021; Dizziness (five breaks): July 2015, July 2017, February 2019, April 2020, and December 2021; and Tinnitus (five breaks): April 2015, April 2017, March 2018, April 2020, and April 2022.

CONCLUSION

The search behavior over the past decade reveals a growing interest in information about hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness, with correlated results among the three terms. Sergipe had the highest search volume for "hearing loss," Maranhão for "dizziness," and São Paulo for "tinnitus."