Wildfire Air Pollution and Increased Online Search Interest and Clinic Visits for Psoriasis
April 2023
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
”
Studysummary This study found that wildfire air pollution in California was associated with a delayed increase in clinic visits and online search interest for psoriasis in adults.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
The study "Wildfire air pollution and increased online search interest and clinic visits for psoriasis" conducted a cross-sectional time-series analysis on 986 psoriasis clinic visits and online search volumes in San Francisco during periods of wildfires and non-wildfires from 2015 to 2019. The study found that wildfire air pollution was associated with a delayed increase in both online search volume interest (SVI) and clinic visits for psoriasis. Specifically, an increase in adult visits was observed starting at week 5 after the fire, peaking at weeks 8 and 9. The same pattern was observed in the weekly SVI for psoriasis. However, no significant results were found for pediatric patients, likely due to limited patient numbers. The study adjusted for factors such as temperature, humidity, age, year, and overall patient volume at clinics.
