Utilization of online information about schizophrenia from 2004 to 2022: an infodemiological analysis of Google and Wikipedia

PurposeThe Internet is a prevalent medium for promoting mental health and disseminating educational content on schizophrenia. Despite this, studies underscore the necessity for additional research to delve into the structures of online mental health promotion and education strategies. Therefore, this study aims to focus on analyzing public interests and information utilization using Google and Wikipedia, contributing to the enhancement of internet-based mental health promotion strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis infodemiological study described and predicted the global utilization of online information for schizophrenia using relative search volumes (RSV) and related queries and topics from Google Trends and Wikipedia page views. After describing the data, ARIMA was done to predict future Wikipedia page views and search volumes.FindingsThe country ranking based on RSV revealed a gap between European and developed nations and Asian and developing countries. Until December 2021, there was a consistent decline in RSV and Wikipedia page views, followed by a resurgence in January 2022. Findings indicate stable RSV and an increase in Wikipedia page views from 2022 to 2025. Top and rising queries and topics covered various aspects of schizophrenia, such as management, manifestations, diagnostics and etiology, using multiple languages in search queries.Practical implicationsMental health-care professionals should ensure the availability and accessibility of trustworthy schizophrenia information online. Incorporating top and rising queries on websites can enhance responsiveness to public needs in the age of information and disinformation.Originality/valueTo the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first to examine online schizophrenia information using combined Google and Wikipedia data.