As 2013 comes to a close, many of us have started to reflect on what happened in 2013, through both an internal and external lense. A glimpse into your search engine history might provide an interesting digital analog of the topics or themes to our lives in 2013.
So what are 2013’s top health-related searches online?
The word cloud above, generated using the site Wordle.net, visualizes the top health-related internal searches on Boston.com. These keywords demonstrate the stories and topics that continued to interest Boston.com readers throughout the year. Here’s a deeper look at three of the top Boston.com search terms in health.
1. Marathon
The annual Boston Marathon, traditionally a spring day of celebration and physical endurance in the city, typically draws massive crowds and national media attention. This year, the deadly explosions that occured at The Boston Marathon finish line made the event one of the biggest stories not only in Boston, but nationwide and around the world.
The 13th year of Google’s annual Zeitgeist highlighted The Boston Marathon as a trending keyword for more than 70 countries. The Boston Marathon made the list of the top 10 global trending searches in 2013, “capturing the world’s attention” according to Google, and ranking at the number six slot.
For Boston.com, “marathon” was one of the top site-wide keywords of 2013, so it placed at the top of the health-related list as well. The stories of survival, treatment, recovery, and strength during and after the marathon bombings have continued to capture Boston.com readers’ attention since that tragic day in April. Look back at Boston.com’s live blog that covered The Boston Marathon, which transformed from covering a world-renowned running event to a terrorist attack in a matter of minutes.
2. Flu
Flu was the biggest health news story to startoff 2013, not only in the Greater Boston area, but across the United States. On Boston.com, flu ranked as the second-most searched keyword in our site search engine. According to Google’s 2013 top 10 health searches worldwide, “flu” was the most common health issue in 2013, correlating with one of the most severe flu seasons in US history.
The 2013 flu season hit earlier and harder than usual, leaving healthcare providers slammed with sick patients, while pharmacies and public health departments raced to fill the need for vaccines. On Jan. 9, Mayor Thomas M. Menino declared a public health emergency when the city had 700 confirmed cases of flu and four flu-related deaths. Hospitals restricted visitors to protect patients from influenza exposure.
Look back at the flu coverage on Twitter: #bostonflu.
3. Medical marijuana
Medical marijuana was the third most-searched health topic on Boston.com in 2013. This public health initiative made major 2013 headlines in Massachusetts with the start of the medical marijuana dispensary application process that resulted in 100 final applicants by the November deadline. The finalists are expected to be announced on Jan. 31, 2014.
Marijuana also had a big news year on a national level. Thirty-one states introduced bills about posession, decriminalization, or taxation of marijuana, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. New Hampshire and Illinois both passed medical marijuana laws in 2013.
Google’s top 10 health issue searches of 2013.To satisfy the rest of your search engine curiosity, here are the top ten worldwide trending health issues on Google’s 13th Zeitgeist, compiled into a colorful word cloud.
What were your top health searches in 2013? Did you follow some health stories more closely than others? Here’s Boston.com’s list of the top 10 health stories, based on a reader poll.
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