Online Searches Related to Total Laryngectomy

Abstract

ObjectiveTo identify the most frequently asked questions regarding “laryngectomy” through an assessment of online search data.MethodsGoogle Search data based on the search term “laryngectomy” were analyzed using Google Trends and Search Response. The most common People Also Ask (PAA) questions were identified and classified by the concept. Each website linked to its respective PAA question was rated for understandability, ease of reading, and reading grade level.ResultsSearch popularity for the term “laryngectomy” remained stable between 2017 and 2022. The most popular PAA themes were post‐laryngectomy speech, laryngectomy comparison to tracheostomy, stoma and stoma care, survival/recurrence, and post‐laryngectomy eating. Of the 32 websites linked to the top 50 PAA's, eleven (34%) were at or below an 8th grade reading level.ConclusionPost‐laryngectomy speech, eating, survival, the stoma, and the difference between laryngectomy and tracheostomy are the most common topics searched online in relation to “laryngectomy.” These are important areas for both patient and healthcare provider education.Level of EvidenceN/A Laryngoscope, 133:2971–2976, 2023