Doctor Google: Mapped (UK)

The internet is a haven for medical information, from accessing an NHS pharmacy online to discovering the latest medical breakthroughs. This, paired with the current strain on medical services in the UK, has meant that people have been turning to Google for help with their health queries.

Bearing this in mind, we wanted to reveal the most medically curious areas of the UK based on Google searches. In addition, we have delved into specific search data to determine which health-related questions are currently being asked most around the country so that we can provide answers to the most sought-after medical information.

Hospital personal

Dorset is the most curious UK area regarding healthcare queries, totalling 3,480 per 100,000 residents

We have compared the number of health-related question searches in each area by population to calculate the number of Google searches per 100,000 residents.

1.

Dorset

With more than 3,400 searches per 100,000 residents, Dorset has the most significant number of searches compared to its population. Despite having many searches for health-related questions, it appears that the people of this county are in good hands as Dorset has recently been recognised as having the fastest response time for NHS 111 calls in the UK.

Searches per 100,000 residents:

3,480

2.

Liverpool

Liverpool is next on our list of the most health-curious UK areas, with 3,127 searches per 100,000 residents. When broken down by categories, Liverpool has the highest dental searches of any area in our top three, totalling more than 1,400 in the last year.

Searches per 100,000 residents:

3,127

3.

Shropshire

Shropshire is completing our top three areas with the most health-related searches. General health was asked about the most in this county over the last 12 months, followed by skincare and dental. When combined and divided by its population, Shropshire has the third-highest figure, totalling 2,895 searches per 100,000 residents.

Searches per 100,000 residents:

2,895

UK areas with the highest total health-related Google searches per 100,000 residents

Key: General health Skincare Dental Total number of Google searches Total searches per 100,000 residents

Number of Google searches (Feb 2023-Jan 2024)

Local authority

Region

The most popular health-related questions answered

We have revealed the UK areas that are currently the most curious about their health, but what have they wanted to discover? We have answered some of the UK's current most popular health-related questions.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

Blood pressure measures the force your heart uses to pump blood around your body, and extreme levels can indicate poor health. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, among others, so keeping it at an average rate is essential.

Symptoms of high blood pressure can include headaches or heart palpitations, and the risk of this condition increases with age. You can make lifestyle changes to reduce your blood pressure and prevent it from becoming a problem in the future. These changes include adopting a diet with a reduced salt intake, exercising regularly, and reducing caffeine.

Why can’t I sleep?

Insomnia, or difficulty sleeping, can result from various factors, but for the sake of your health, it is essential to identify the source as soon as possible. Some of the most common causes of insomnia include stress or anxiety, recreational drugs, and caffeine.

Every adult is different, but if you are struggling to get your 7-9 hours of sleep, there are some things you can try. According to research, the perfect sleeping conditions include a quiet room between 15.6 and 19.4°C. If you are still restless, consider including physical activity as part of your daily routine or practice meditation before bed to help clear your mind.

What are the signs of skin cancer?

Skin cancer is commonly caused by ultraviolet light, which is typically associated with exposure to the sun. It is understood that some factors can make people more predisposed to skin cancer than others, including those with pale skin and old age, but regularly applying sunscreen is the best way to reduce your risk of developing this disease.

As the skin is an external organ, many of the common signs and symptoms of skin cancer are visible. These can include, but aren’t limited to, changes in existing skin spots, an ulcer lasting more than four weeks, or having a mole with poorly defined borders.

What is the best sunscreen for my face?

As previously identified, sunscreen can be life-saving, but with many product variants, which one do you choose? While no sunscreen can completely shield your skin from harmful rays, it is recommended that you use one with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more. To maximise your protection and skin health, apply sunscreen every couple of hours when exposed to the sun.

Why do I feel sick after eating?

Nausea, or feeling sick, can cause lots of short-term discomfort but can also indicate a more serious health condition. Suppose the uneasiness in your stomach goes away without vomiting. In that case, you shouldn’t necessarily discount it as it could be a sign of a food intolerance/ allergy or an underlying health condition such as kidney or liver disease.

Avoiding anything that you can identify as a trigger should help to keep nausea at bay, but anti-motion sickness medication can also help to alleviate symptoms. However, if the post-meal nausea is accompanied by blood in your vomit or stool, then you should consider seeking medical attention.

Lambeth has seen the biggest change in health-related Google searches than any other UK area, with a 61.64% increase in the last two years

We have revealed the locations currently inquiring the most about health, but which UK areas have seen the most significant spike in health-related searches? Here’s what we found.

1.

Lambeth

With an increase in health-related Google searches totalling more than 61% in the last two years, Lambeth takes the top spot on our ranking. Two years ago, this London borough had the lowest number of health-related searches of all the entries on our list, but this number has spiked over the past twelve months, going from 3,050 searches to 4,930.

Increase in Google searches:

61.64%

2.

Milton Keynes

Falling shy of the top spot on our list is Milton Keynes. This English city has gone from 4,700 searches in 2022/23 to 5,900 Google searches in the last twelve months, equating to a 25.53% increase, the second-biggest change of any UK area on our list.

Increase in Google searches:

25.53%

3.

East Riding of Yorkshire

East Riding of Yorkshire completes our top three, with a 24.59% increase in searches since 2022. Despite having the highest number of searches in the last year of all the entries in our top three, East Riding of Yorkshire has the third-highest figure when these totals are compared to its searches from the year before.

Increase in Google searches:

24.59%

UK areas with the biggest change in health-related Google searches in the last two years

Key: Change in Google searches (%)

Number of Google searches

Local authority

Region

22/23

23/24

With 2,195 Google searches per 100,000 residents, Dorset has been searching for general health questions more than any other UK area

As well as looking at trends in the total number of health-related questions, we have broken the queries down by category. The following list reveals the UK areas with the most general health searches per 100,000 residents.

1.

Dorset

Making its second appearance on one of our rankings is Dorset, with 2,195 general health searches per 100,000 residents. Of all the general health-related questions on our list, the most searched for in this county was ‘how to lower blood pressure’, which largely contributed to this area’s 8,370 total searches in this category.

General health searches per 100,000 residents:

2,195

2.

Liverpool

Liverpool is revealed as having the second-highest number of general health searches. Last year, it was revealed that this city's local NHS trust has teamed up with the University of Liverpool to build a state-of-the-art health campus: this has already inspired the public to learn more about their health, evidenced by its second-place entry on our list.

General health searches per 100,000 residents:

1,934

3.

Shropshire

Shropshire is completing our top three list, with 1,835 searches per 100,000 residents. It has been reported that more than 60% of Shropshire's residents are classed as overweight or obese, and it is no secret that there are a lot of associated health conditions with obesity. Having said this, according to our search data, it appears that the people of Shropshire have not been interested in combatting this as ‘what is the best diet’ and ‘how to lose belly fat’ were two of the least searched questions.

General health searches per 100,000 residents:

1,835

UK areas with the highest number of general health-related Google searches per 100,000 residents

Key: Number of Google searches For general-health related questions (2023/24) General health-related Google searches per 100,000 residents

Local authority

Region

Dorset has Googled skincare-related questions more than any other UK area, totalling 965 per 100,000 residents

From general health to dermis-specific queries, the following ranking reveals which UK areas are home to the most skincare-related Google search questions per 100,000 residents.

1.

Dorset

Dorset may have the fewest total number of searches for skincare questions on our top three, but when the population is considered, this county comes out on top. Over the last year, Dorset has accumulated 965 Google searches per 100,000 residents for health questions related to skincare.

Skincare searches per 100,000 residents:

965

2.

Liverpool

Regarding skincare-related questions, it appears that Liverpool has utilised Google more than most. In the last year, this English city has asked Google more than 4,300 skincare questions, which equates to 900 per 100,000 residents - the second-highest figure of any UK area on our list.

Skincare searches per 100,000 residents:

900

3.

City of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the only Scottish area to feature in this ranking, with 840 skincare questions per 100,000 residents. Despite the cold average temperatures in Scotland, the most popular skincare-related health question asked by residents in Edinburgh is ‘what's the best sunscreen for the face?’.

Skincare searches per 100,000 residents:

840

UK areas with the highest number of skincare-related searches per 100,000 residents

Key: Number of Google searches for skincare-related health questions (2023/24) Skincare-related health Google searches per 100,000 residents

Local authority

Region

With 332 Google searches per 100,000 residents, Newcastle upon Tyne is revealed as the UK area most inquisitive about dental health

We gathered data on the number of dental-related questions searched on Google across the UK and compared this against each area’s population to determine which areas are the most interested in their dental health.

1.

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne accumulated almost 1,000 Google searches for dental-related health questions last year. Compared to this city's population, the searches in this category equate to 332 per 100,000 residents, the biggest of any UK area on our list.

Dental questions per 100,000 residents:

332

2.

Dorset

With 320 dental questions searched per 100,000 residents, Dorset is second on our list. Of the 1,220 total searches over the last twelve months, this county's most popular dentist-related query is, 'why are my gums bleeding?', making up 200 of all searches in this category.

Dental questions per 100,000 residents:

320

3.

Shropshire

Completing our top three list of UK areas with the most dental-related question searches is Shropshire, with 314 per 100,000 residents. In the last year, it has been widely reported that Shropshire’s residents lack access to dentistry. Bearing this in mind, it may come as no surprise that many residents here have been turning to Google for help with their dental health.

Dental questions per 100,000 residents:

314

UK areas with the highest number of dental-related Google searches per 100,000 residents

Key: Number of Google searches for dental-related health questions (2023/24) Dental-related health Google searches per 100,000 residents

Local authority

Region

Methodology

We used a range of online articles to find a series of keywords relating to the following topics: general health, skincare, and dental.

We used the Keywords Explorer feature on Ahrefs to collect a range of health-related questions using the previously identified keywords. Data was collected on 06/02/2024.

We then used Google Keyword Planner to add up the total number of question searches for each local authority between Feb 2022 and Jan 2024.

We subtracted the number of Google searches in Feb 2023-Jan 2024 by the total in Feb 2022-Jan 2023 before dividing this number by the Feb 2022-Jan 2023 total to calculate the change in Google searches over the last two years for each local authority.

We divided the total number of health-related question searches by each local authority’s population before multiplying this by 100,000 to calculate the number of searches per 100,000 residents. This calculation was repeated to find the number of searches per 100,000 residents for general health, skincare, and dental-specific questions.

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