| Summary: | Aim: To examine the correspondence between the burden of dermatological diseases, measured by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and public interest reflected in Google Trends (GTs) search activity in Türkiye, to provide evidence-based contributions for the development of effective public health strategies. Materials and Methods: DALY estimates for 14 dermatological conditions were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. GTs scores for both medical and lay terms, derived from the Turkish Dermatology Association's patient brochures, were retrieved from January 2021 to May 2025. Relative search volume (RSV) values were normalized to those for acne vulgaris. Associations between DALY burden and search interest were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: A positive correlation was observed between DALY burden and search interest (Spearman's correlation coefficient ρ = 0.60; P = 0.024). Acne vulgaris demonstrated a close alignment between the DALY rate (63.37 per 100,000) and the RSV value (76). Conditions with high DALY burden but low visibility included dermatitis (DALY rate = 113.24; RSV value = 8) and psoriasis (DALY rate = 66.6; RSV value = 16). Conversely, pruritus and scabies showed disproportionately high search interest relative to their DALY burden. Malignant melanoma (DALY rate = 18.5; RSV value = 3), squamous cell carcinoma (DALY rate = 14.37; RSV value = 1), and basal cell carcinoma (DALY rate = 0.01; RSV value = 1) had minimal digital visibility despite their clinical importance. Conclusion: Google search activity captures only part of the epidemiological landscape of dermatological disease in Türkiye. Symptom-driven or highly visible conditions receive substantial attention, while chronic inflammatory diseases and dermatological malignancies remain markedly underrepresented. These discrepancies indicate missed opportunities for targeted awareness and early detection strategies, particularly for skin cancers where timely presentation is essential.
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