[Article Summary] 1 In 3 Americans Uses Internet To Help With Diagnoses



From the 15th January 2013 article at Medical News Today

A nationwide survey ***of US adults finds that 1 in 3 of Americans say they have used the internet to help them diagnose a medical condition, either for themselves or someone else. But, when asked who they turned to for help with a serious health issue, either online or offline, the majority said they turned to a doctor or other health professional…

…when these “online diagnosers” were asked who they turned to for information, care or support the last time they had a serious health problem, either online or offline:

• 70% said they got it from a health professional,
• 60% turned to family and friends, and
• 24% said they got it from others with the same condition.

When the survey asked online diagnosers if the information they found online had led them to think they needed to see a doctor, 46% said yes, while 38% said they could take care of it themselves and 11% said it was a case of both or something in between.

Read the entire article here

Related articles

• Internet Is First Stop for Many Ill People, Study Finds (mashable.com)
• 1 in 3 adults search online for medical diagnosis (cbc.ca)
• ‘Doctor Google’ Isn’t Replacing Actual Doctors Any Time Soon (betabeat.com)

***The full Pew Internet report Health Online 2013 may be found here