Associations between wildfire air pollution and online search interest for skin diseases and symptoms
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To the Editor: Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe, causing increased air pollution exposure.1 Wildfire smoke has been associated with increased rates of clinic visits for atopic dermatitis (AD) and itch.1 We hypothesized that exposure to local wildfire air pollution would increase interest in skin-related topics, as detected by online search trends. They reflect shifts in population-level information-seeking behaviors related to short-term events that could indicate environmental impacts on skin health.
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A Google search volume index analysis during the 2020 California Lightning Complex fires showed a 10 μg/m3 increase in mean weekly PM2.5 was associated with an increased mean weekly SVI for "eczema," "itchy," and "red skin".
“Furthermore, a Google search volume index (SVI) analysis conducted on AD‐symptom search terms during the 2020 California Lightning Complex fires showed a 10 μg/m3 increase in mean weekly PM2.5 was associated with an increased mean weekly SVI for “eczema,” “itchy,” and “red skin” [27].”
From Wildfires and Atopic Diseases: A Review (2026) · cites this paper as [27]
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Cites
The use of google trends in health care research: a systematic review
Nuti, S. V., Wayda, B., Ranasinghe, I., Wang, S., Dreyer, R. P., Chen, S. I., & Murugiah, K. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109583 · Cited by 1,086 · see citing works
Accurate estimation of influenza epidemics using Google search data via ARGO
Yang, S., Santillana, M., & Kou, S. (2015) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · doi:10.1073/pnas.1515373112 · Cited by 372 · see citing works
Association of Wildfire Air Pollution and Health Care Use for Atopic Dermatitis and Itch
Fadadu, R. P., Grimes, B., Jewell, N. P., Vargo, J., Young, A. T., Abuabara, K., Balmes, J. R., & Wei, M. L. (2021) · JAMA Dermatology · doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.0179 · Cited by 120 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Wildfire smoke has been associated with increased rates of clinic visits for atopic dermatitis (AD) and itch.(1) We hypothesized that exposure to local wildfire air pollution would increase interest in skin-related topics, as detected by online search trends.”
BackgroundSelf-citationAssociation Between Short-term Exposure to Environmental Air Pollution and Psoriasis Flare
Bellinato, F., Adami, G., Vaienti, S., Benini, C., Gatti, D., Idolazzi, L., Fassio, A., Rossini, M., Girolomoni, G., & Gisondi, P. (2022) · JAMA Dermatology · doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.6019 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Association of particulate matter air pollution and itch: A digital epidemiology approach
Whang, K. A., Huang, A. H., Miller, L. S., Kang, S., & Kwatra, S. G. (2019) · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.04.069 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
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Fadadu, R. P., Abuabara, K., Balmes, J. R., Hanifin, J. M., & Wei, M. L. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20032526 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationImpact of climate change on atopic dermatitis: A review by the International Eczema Council
Wang, S., Stefanovic, N., Orfali, R. L., Aoki, V., Brown, S. J., Dhar, S., Eichenfield, L. F., Flohr, C., Ha, A., Mora, C., et al. (2024) · Allergy · doi:10.1111/all.16007 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationAir pollution and global healthcare use for atopic dermatitis: A systematic review
Fadadu, R. P., Chee, E., Jung, A., Chen, J. Y., Abuabara, K., & Wei, M. L. (2023) · Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · doi:10.1111/jdv.19193 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationAssociation of Wildfire Air Pollution With Clinic Visits for Psoriasis
Fadadu, R. P., Green, M., Grimes, B. A., Jewell, N. P., Seth, D., Vargo, J., & Wei, M. L. (2023) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.51553 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Self-citationPhysical influences on the skin barrier and pathogenesis of allergy
Hui-Beckman, J. W., & Leung, D. Y. M. (2023) · Current Opinion in Pediatrics · doi:10.1097/mop.0000000000001289 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Climatic Factors and Inflammatory Skin Disorders
Fernandez, K., Ha, A., Zhong, X., Belzer, A., & Wei, M. L. (2025) · Dermatologic Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.det.2025.08.012 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationDermatologic Manifestations of Extreme Heat, Wildfires, and Flooding
Fadadu, R. P., Williams, M. L. K., & Bandino, J. P. (2025) · Dermatologic Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.det.2025.08.009 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Self-citationThis Month in JAAD International: May 2023: Air pollution and atopic dermatitis
Kantor, J. (2023) · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2023.03.005 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Influence of Climate on Atopic Dermatitis
Fernandez, K., Mundada, M., So, A., & Wei, M. L. (2025) · Dermatologic Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.det.2025.08.007 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citationWildfires and Atopic Diseases: A Review
Ha, A., Balmes, J. R., & Wei, M. L. (2026) · Allergy · doi:10.1111/all.70116
Self-citationPneumologie, Allergologie und Dermatologie
Lob‐Corzilius, T., Beeretz, I., & Happle, C. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-71302-0_3
Yu, D., & Knoble, C. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-27672-9.00009-4
- Authors
- Fadadu, R. P., Chen, J. Y., & Wei, M. L.
- Affiliations
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wei, Maria L.
- Venue
- JAAD International
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-09
- Volume
- 8
- Pages
- 128-130
- ISSN
- 2666-3287 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9305359
- OpenAlex
- W4283073938
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5
- FWCI
- 0.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- JAAD International (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Keywords
- wildfire smoke, air pollution, internet search trends, skin diseases, atopic dermatitis, pruritus, information seeking, environmental health, skin health
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