As a health editor, I love how easy it is to find health information online—but I also understand the limitations of relying on “Dr. Google.” Since just about anyone can create a web page, I know that I have to be skeptical about what I read and really question where the info is coming from. I also know that even when something comes from a trusted source, I can’t necessarily use it to diagnose myself without consulting an expert about my specific symptoms/health history first. Unfortunately, some people are relying a bit too heavily on online info—and it could be putting their health in jeopardy.
According to The New Health Report 2011, a survey commissioned by Quintiles, 42 percent of patients now say that the internet is a main source of their health information. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But what’s disturbing is that the same survey found that 36 percent of doctors say patients come in with more misinformation than they did five years ago. The likely culprit: They’re getting a lot of their health information from popular media (including the internet, TV, newspapers, and yes, magazines), but the topics aren’t always reported correctly or the readers are having trouble understanding the stories and misconstruing the information.
I’m not going to tell you to stop turning to the media for health info… and that’s only partly because I’m part of the media. I honestly think that it’s empowering for patients to be able to gather some basic knowledge before they call their doctor. After all, it’s your body and your health, so why shouldn’t you learn everything you can on your own? But I also know that bad information can be worse than no information at all, so I encourage you to be smart about how you seek out health info online and how you discuss it with your doctor. For starters, you should always pay attention to who the source is. Information that comes directly from a major medical institution, such as the Mayo Clinic or the National Institutes of Health is almost always accurate. Random chat boards or sites that are designed to sell you a particular health product? Not so much…
Find more tips about getting good health info here.
—Barbara Brody, Health Editor