healthtransformation
.foundation
Joaquim Cardoso MSc
February 15, 2024
This summary is based on the article “Looking up health symptoms online less harmful than thought, study says”, published by The Guardian.
What is the message?
Contrary to common belief, utilizing online resources for health symptom research may not be as harmful as previously thought.
A new study suggests that searching for health information online can lead to modest improvements in diagnosis accuracy without significantly increasing anxiety levels or misguiding triage decisions.
ONE PAGE SUMMARY
What are the key points?
Controversy Surrounding “Dr Google”: While doctors often caution against relying on the internet for health advice, citing concerns about inaccurate diagnoses and increased anxiety (cyberchondria), a recent study challenges these notions.
Empirical Study Design: Researchers from Harvard conducted a controlled study involving 5,000 participants in the United States, who were asked to diagnose hypothetical symptoms both before and after conducting online searches. Participants also assessed triage levels and recorded anxiety levels.
Positive Findings: The study revealed a slight improvement in diagnosis accuracy after participants conducted online searches. However, there was no significant impact on triage accuracy or anxiety levels among participants.
Participant Proficiency: Individuals with prior health experience, including women, older adults, and those with lower reported quality of life, demonstrated greater proficiency in diagnosis accuracy.
Absence of Cyberchondria: Contrary to common concerns, the study did not observe increased anxiety levels or inappropriate triage decisions after online searches. Participants predominantly utilized reliable sources of information, challenging the notion of obtaining “bad advice” from online platforms.
What are the key statistics?
Diagnosis accuracy improved from 49.8% to 54% after participants conducted online searches.
Roughly three-quarters of participants accurately identified the severity of health issues and made appropriate triage decisions.
Participants primarily utilized reliable sources of information rather than chat forums or social media for health symptom research.
Conclusion
The study challenges the notion that using the internet for health symptom research leads to detrimental outcomes such as increased anxiety or inaccurate triage decisions.
Instead, it suggests that online searches may aid in diagnosis accuracy without exacerbating anxiety levels. These findings indicate that patients may benefit from utilizing online resources to gather health information, provided they exercise discernment and rely on credible sources.
Further research is needed to explore optimal levels of internet searching and potential risks associated with excessive online health information seeking.
To read the original publication, click here.
