Health & Fitness

Syphilis Is Illinois' Most-Googled Health Condition

A new study looks at the most-searched ailment in each state.

ILLINOIS — So far in 2018, the most-Googled health condition for Illinois residents was syphilis, according to a report from Medicare Health Plans. The study, released late last month, shows the most-searched ailment by state. Nationwide, the most-searched condition? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, which was the most-Googled health concern in nine different states.

But while Illinoisans may have been searching for info about syphilis, that's not the most prevalent STD in the Land of Lincoln. Chlamydia is by far the most common, with 72,201 cases in 2016, according to a CDC report released last year. There were 21,199 gonorrhea cases, and 2,398 early syphilis cases. However, that's a big increase in early syphilis cases — a 21 percent increase over 2015 numbers, to be exact. Gonorrhea cases increased by 24 percent and chlamydia cases increased by 4 percent.

Illinois' Most Googled Netflix Show Is ...

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Behind ADHD, syphilis and HIV/AIDS were the second- and third-most searched issues nationwide, respectively, according to the Medicate Health Plans study. The study also found that some searches were based on statewide trends:

  • Nevada’s most googled medical condition was skin cancer, which makes sense given the scorching summers that residents of the state face every year.
  • Iowa searched for “binge drinking,” and it just so happens that the state holds the fourth highest position in the US for binge/chronic drinking.
  • Louisiana and DC both searched for HIV/AIDS for the second year in a row. These states are also included among the states with the highest rate of reported HIV cases in the US, according to the CDC.
  • Kentucky searched for Hepatitis A, likely because the state experienced a large outbreak recently.

Read the full study to see what the top search was in each state.

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