Have you ever felt a pain or something was off balance in your body and the first thing you did was reach for a device capable of allowing you to google your discomfort? According to a 2011 Pew study, 80% of Internet users look for health information online, making medical inquiries the third most popular web-based pursuit, following only email and search engine use.
Top health information searches involve food safety or recalls (29%), drug safety or recalls (24%) or pregnancy and childbirth (19%). Top symptom-related searches involve information about a specific disease or medical problem (66%), medical treatment or procedures (56%) or doctors or other health professionals (44%).
These investigations can bring both anxiety and relief. Sometimes in our busy day to day lives we feel as though we don't have the time for a doctor's appointment unless it was well planned or urgent. It is important to remember that not only is the Internet accessible to Physicians and Health care professionals but it is also open to patients and individuals who have not studied medicine to give a sound diagnosis or suggestion for treatment in your case.
Yes, the available information on the Web is helpful and has proven in some cases to be life-saving with stories like San Diego Padres pitcher Tim Stauffer’s 2010 medical emergency. Upon suffering abdominal pain, Stauffer researched his symptoms on the web via his iPhone and correctly diagnosed his condition as appendicitis. He was transported to the hospital, where doctors removed his appendix in a routine surgery.
The Facts
Nottingham University’s department of pediatrics released a 2010 study that evaluated the reliability and accuracy of health information accessed via the web. Researchers sought advice for five common pediatric questions and analyzed the first 100 search results for each inquiry. Of the 500 total sites, 39% contained correct information, 11% were incorrect and a whopping 49% failed to answer the question. Among the sites that supplied an answer, 78% gave the correct information, but consistency varied by type of medical query.
In general, the study found that the most reliable information came from government websites, and that 55% of news sites supplied correct advice. But none of the sponsored websites that researchers encountered provided accurate medical information.
Conclusion
The Web is a wonderful place to educate yourself on your body and health care information but remember to take these opinions as just that, opinions. If you want to be sure that you are receiving the proper diagnosis for whatever issue or answer to whatever questions you may have, contact your physician.
Based on: http://mashable.com/2012/06/15/online-medical-searches/
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