Dynamics of Internet Users’ Interest in Diabetes in Belarus: Search Query Analysis and Prospects of Digital Healthcare

Objective. To assess the level of internet users’ interest in the Republic of Belarus in the topic of diabetes.

Materials and methods. An analysis of search queries containing keywords “diabetes,” “types of diabetes,” and “diabetes symptoms” was conducted in Yandex and Google search engines for the period from January 2020 to December 2024. Interest was evaluated based on the following indicators: the number of monthly impressions, relative number of impressions, and regional popularity index (affinity index). The data were obtained from analytical services performing anonymous collection and processing users query statistics.

Results. There has been a steady increase in the number of queries related to diabetes since 2021, that may indicate heightened interest to this issue. Moreover, the peak of search activity occurs in January and December of each year, which is due to seasonal increases in health-related concerns. In 2024, the absolute number of queries reached a record high of 25,052 impressions in December. The analysis of regional popularity conducted according to the data of Yandex search engine showed that the highest interest index was recorded in Grodno (104.0%) and Gomel (103.8%) regions, whereas Minsk and Minsk region had a lower index (94.4%). Google Trends data confirmed a similar trend, however highest interest in diabetes observed in Vitebsk region (100 points) in this search engine.

Conclusion. There has been a steady increase in public interest in diabetes in Belarus over the past five years. The number of search queries has doubled, highlighting the need of users for information on the disease and its prevention. Availability of online consultations, development of telemedicine and mobile applications may enhance public awareness, and improve the quality of diabetes prevention and treatment. Seasonal fluctuations in interest confirm the need for a flexible approach for providing medical information and services, particularly during periods of increased demand. 

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