The world's most popular search engine can serve as a powerful reflection of our collective health concerns.
Google released its 10 top-trending health questions that people searched from Jan. 1 to Nov. 27, 2023, reported by CNN. The "trending" queries are searches that had a high spike in traffic throughout a sustained period of time in 2023 compared to 2022, marking distinct shifts in the information people sought.
The year's top searches for strep throat reflect a marked increase in the infections, for which emergency department visits reached a five-year high in February and March and remained high later in the year amid a monthslong shortage of amoxicillin. Questions about blood pressure, cholesterol and gastrointestinal disruptions also ranked highly. Some health topics are noticeably missing from the top-trending searches in 2023, such as COVID-19 and mental health.
Below are the top-trending health questions and concerns that people brought to Google throughout the year:
1. How long is strep contagious?
2. How contagious is strep?
3. How to lower cholesterol
4. What helps with bloating?
5. What causes low blood pressure?
6. What causes warts?
7. Why do I feel nauseous?
8. What causes preeclampsia?
9. How to stop snoring
10. How long does food poisoning last?