Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis

Orkun Çetin; Hakan Koç; Serkan Özen; Murat Atabey Özer

doi:10.70058/cjm.1838030

Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis

Abstract

Objective: The earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, caused severe destruction and significantly impacted public health priorities in southeastern Türkiye. This study aimed to evaluate changes in public interest in ophthalmological topics before and after the disaster using Google Trends data. Methods: Thirty ophthalmological terms potentially influenced by disaster-related factors (e.g., stress, poor hygiene, sunlight exposure) were initially identified through literature review and expert consensus. Due to insufficient search volume, ten terms were excluded. Weekly relative search volume (RSV) values for 20 ophthalmological topics were retrieved using Google Trends for the three most devastated provinces (Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Adıyaman) from February 6, 2022, to February 3, 2024. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test (SPSS v22.0) was used to compare the time before and after the earthquake. Terms showing significant changes in at least two provinces were further analyzed across all 11 affected provinces. The threshold for statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. Results: Public search interest in “glasses” significantly decreased in Hatay (−15.2%, p<0.01), Kahramanmaraş (−16.91%, p<0.01), and Adıyaman (−19.49%, p<0.01). In Hatay (−92.11%, p<0.01) and Kahramanmaraş (−88.8%, p<0.01), there was a significant drop in searches for “contact lenses.” In Adıyaman (−32.29%, p>0.05), however, there was a noticeable but not statistically significant drop. A decline was also observed in searches for cataract, strabismus, and several other conditions; however, increases were noted in searches for conjunctivitis, eye strain, and glaucoma, but these changes were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Following this large-scale natural disaster, public interest in most non-urgent ophthalmic conditions decreased, suggesting a shift away from routine eye care needs. Google Trends may serve as a valuable tool for identifying community health priorities after catastrophic events, enabling a more efficient allocation of healthcare resources and targeted interventions.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Sciences (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Orkun Çetin ^*
0009-0009-7344-6859
Türkiye

Hakan Koç
0000-0003-1241-1686
Türkiye

Serkan Özen
0000-0002-5166-6801
Türkiye

Murat Atabey Özer
0000-0003-1807-6911
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

January 28, 2026

Publication Date

January 28, 2026

Submission Date

December 10, 2025

Acceptance Date

January 22, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 3 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70058/cjm.1838030

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA89RT48DW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Çetin, O., Koç, H., Özen, S., & Özer, M. A. (2026). Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis. Cerasus Journal of Medicine, 3(1), 57-62. https://doi.org/10.70058/cjm.1838030

AMA

1.Çetin O, Koç H, Özen S, Özer MA. Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis. Cerasus J Med. 2026;3(1):57-62. doi:10.70058/cjm.1838030

Chicago

Çetin, Orkun, Hakan Koç, Serkan Özen, and Murat Atabey Özer. 2026. “Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis”. Cerasus Journal of Medicine 3 (1): 57-62. https://doi.org/10.70058/cjm.1838030.

EndNote

Çetin O, Koç H, Özen S, Özer MA (January 1, 2026) Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis. Cerasus Journal of Medicine 3 1 57–62.

IEEE

[1]O. Çetin, H. Koç, S. Özen, and M. A. Özer, “Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis”, Cerasus J Med, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 57–62, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.70058/cjm.1838030.

ISNAD

Çetin, Orkun - Koç, Hakan - Özen, Serkan - Özer, Murat Atabey. “Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis”. Cerasus Journal of Medicine 3/1 (January 1, 2026): 57-62. https://doi.org/10.70058/cjm.1838030.

JAMA

1.Çetin O, Koç H, Özen S, Özer MA. Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis. Cerasus J Med. 2026;3:57–62.

MLA

Çetin, Orkun, et al. “Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis”. Cerasus Journal of Medicine, vol. 3, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 57-62, doi:10.70058/cjm.1838030.

Vancouver

1.Orkun Çetin, Hakan Koç, Serkan Özen, Murat Atabey Özer. Public Interest in Ophthalmological Topics Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Comparative Google Trends Analysis. Cerasus J Med. 2026 Jan. 1;3(1):57-62. doi:10.70058/cjm.1838030