43459 ¿Habla Español? A Google Trends Analysis of Online Searches among US Spanish Speakers with Dermatologic Concerns

Background: There are 16 million US Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency. However, health information available in Spanish on the websites of dermatology departments and organizations is scarce. We aim to understand the frequency in which US Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency have utilized Google search engine for information on dermatologic conditions. In this retrospective analysis, we utilized Google Keyword Planner to identify five Spanish keywords/phrases (KPs) for each of the five categories: “acne/blemishes;” “dry skin;” “pigmentation/dark spots;” “nail fungus;” and “hair loss.” On 09/04/2022, we used Google Trends to collect each KP’s monthly search volume indices (SVIs; range 0-100) between 01/01/2010-12/31/2020. We calculated each KP's mean SVI (xS- VI) for the 2010-2020 period and identified the three KPs with the highest xSVI. Differences in the 2010-2020 xS- VI of the top three KPs were compared using Welch t-test. Four out of 25 KPs did not yield any SVI over the 2010-2020 period using Google Trends. The KPs with the highest 2010-2020 xSVI, were “hair loss” (“caida de pelo,” xS- VI=52.12), “pigmentation/dark spots” (“manchas de cara;” xS- VI=71.27), and “nail fungus” (“remedios caseros para hongos;” xS- VI=47.42). “Pigmentation/dark spots” was searched more than “hair loss” or “nail fungus” (p< 0.00002). “Hair loss” was searched more than “nail fungus” (p=0.01614). Between 2010-2020, there was a greater trend in US Spanish-language searches for pigmentation/dark spots when using the keyword/phrase “manchas de cara.” By utilizing search engine optimization tools, dermatology organizations and departments can identify and better meet the dermatologic needs of Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency.