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This is the first of daily questions we will be posting on the Collective Imagination blog throughout the month of March, to draw attention to some of the emerging issues in modern health care and foster an interactive discussion around them.
And what's better, we have prizes! Respond to the daily question and you will be eligible to win a custom ScienceBlogs USB drive. We'll announce the previous day's winner in each daily question post - you can then email us at [email protected] to claim your prize.
Without further ado, here's your first question:
Do you use the Internet to find information or advice on your health? Why?
Tell us below in the comments!
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Medicine & Health
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Comments
No. Because most of the so called information/advice is either quackery or scaremongering, guaranteed to breed hypercondriac tendencies in the minds of readers. On the rare occasions when I do feel the need for advice I visit my doctor. And all he will do is tell me to stop smoking !
Posted by: anivegmin | March 1, 2010 1:30 PM | Reply
I live in a remote area in Africa. The internet (I have a satellite connection) is my sole source of news and information about almost everything, including my health.
Posted by: Mike S. | March 1, 2010 1:39 PM | Reply
Yes. Although it takes quite a bit of reading to find little bits of truth. Mostly the internet can provide definitions and descriptions of health issues but I never ever trust a single source. The internet has been taken over by the market and I imagine that more and more the truth will be harder and harder to find.
Posted by: Squirrel | March 1, 2010 1:43 PM | Reply
Yes. Having 2 little kids, I am running into various health issues all the time. And there is usually no way to see the doctor that fast. There is a lot of useful information which allowed me evaluate the immediate danger of situations and even to diagnose problems.
Posted by: scimomof2 | March 1, 2010 1:43 PM | Reply
I do.
No matter how I may describe how I feel to my doctor, there are times when that just doesn't paint an accurate enough picture to distinguish it from a multitude of other related issues. In feeling the pain myself, I can research the issue with a nauseating amount of detail that a doctor just doesn't have time to hear.
I have also used it after visiting with the doctor when what he says just doesn't sound right. On rare occasions, further research into the problem reveals a larger picture of what the diagnosis is, and there are red flags indicating it's probably not your declared affliction.
I do not use it as an authoritative reference, but rather as a tool for understanding. I'm not going to be one of those jerks that thinks just because they read something online, they know more than a Med PhD.
The internet is also extremely useful to garner knowledge about something you have been diagnosed with. It can help you understand symptoms and their underlying causes as well as connect you with others going through the same experience. There will be less surprises in the course of the illness and/or treatment than there would be otherwise.
The fact that such research satisfies my inner nerd is an added bonus. :)
Posted by: Anodyne | March 1, 2010 1:44 PM | Reply
Never for advice. Once in a blue moon for information. My wife and I are both healthcare professionals and it is sometimes nice to have additional reference information to confirm what we already know.
Posted by: Kakuru | March 1, 2010 1:51 PM | Reply
I do use it to find out more information.
I have used it to look up drugs that have been given to me in the hospital (i.e.: Fentanyl, Propofol) and to look up conditions (i.e: Rhabdomyolysis due to adverse drug interaction).
I have used it to research flu vaccines and for statistics.
Posted by: NewEnglandBob | March 1, 2010 1:52 PM | Reply
Yes. With a little homework I have found some reliable and authoritative sites that provide specific information on drugs and treatments as well as broader discussion of illnesses and conditions. This has helped prepare me for visits to doctors where I know that a course of treatment is going to be reviewed and modified.
Posted by: Brock | March 1, 2010 2:06 PM | Reply
I have researched many health problems I have encountered in my life like UTI's, dental problems and serious back injuries. I do not have health insurance so this becomes necessary to determine how serious a problem can be. There is a preponderance of bad information so finding the correct websites is overwhelming,but it can be well worth it if you get helpful facts.
Posted by: Eric | March 1, 2010 2:07 PM | Reply
Yes, and have been doing so for at least 12 years. As those who commented previously note, you need to be cautious, and be sure that you've found a reputable site. Any website that has multiple words in all caps and lots of exclamation points, and paints someone or some thing as a villain, pretty much gets scratched off my list of reputable sites right off the bat...
Posted by: OmegaMom | March 1, 2010 2:20 PM | Reply
I'll use it for information, but very skeptically.
Ironically, I can actually find better legitimate health information for my pets than for humans.
Posted by: anna | March 1, 2010 2:34 PM | Reply
Information, yes; advice, no. And I favor the very qualified. For example, a lecture by a pediatric endocrinologist on fructose metabolism in children gets more weight than an industry site that claims all sugars metabolize the same. Then I look for consensus among people in the field in question.
Not a foolproof method but better than watching FOX news.
Posted by: george.w | March 1, 2010 2:40 PM | Reply
Yes, routinely, with the usual clinical caveats. As above, I use it for information, rather than advice.
I use the board sites - some of them have excellent education pages. I've been known to read off a URL or two to a patient when taking phone call, after appropriate triage, and the feedback has been universally positive.
I don't see the HON certification around as much anymore. Is that still being used?
There have been a few times when someone has suggested a new treatment to me (or someone else) in an area completely outside of my discipline, and I've had to look it up. The skeptic-oriented sites are invaluable to me here for rapid screening for wackaloonery.
Posted by: Silver | March 1, 2010 3:06 PM | Reply
A librarian can help point you to reliable and authoritative health information on the web. See the MedlinePlus Guide to Healthy Web Surfing:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthywebsurfing.html
Posted by: Alison | March 1, 2010 3:51 PM | Reply
I use some parts of the internet for information. Obviously, I would need to go to the doctor for treatment anyway, so of course I'll go there if I need an official diagnosis. I never try to get health advice from Yahoo Answers or similar sites, but WebMD can have some useful information. Sometimes I'll check out OTC medication on Wikipedia just out of curiosity. I often forget which painkillers have which side effects, so I check those pages often. And I always search by active ingredient, not by brand name.
Posted by: catgirl | March 1, 2010 3:55 PM | Reply
I have used the Internet for medical information; and on one or two occassions for advice. I have also looked up first-aid on the Internet. Sites such as Red Cross and Mayo Clinic, et al, have a lot of good information. Having no medical insurance, the Internet is a useful, free tool. Of course, I would seek professional advice and treatment for anything requiring more than first-aid. I'm no armchair MD.
Posted by: Jason | March 1, 2010 3:56 PM | Reply
I do.
I am currently without a GP, as there is a shortage in my country (Canada) and I've been sitting on a waiting list for a long time with no sense of forward momentum. In order to avoid unnecessarily taxing my local walk-in clinics (or even hospital ER) with baseless panics, I try to read all I can before seeking professional care or advice. My main concern is avoiding wasting time (mine and that of others) on problems that might be understood with a modicum of self-education.
I am a sceptic and therefore reasonably resilient to bad information, but I don't rely on my intuition in this regard -- I cross-check everything I read against multiple sources with solid reputations for being science-based, non-ideological and professional. I am not in the habit of picking through the websites of hobbyists, alternative practitioners, "brave mavericks", et cetera, but if I do find myself accidentally on such a site my internal alarms go off right away as I keep my critical thinking skills drilled and in shape.
I see this kind of research as a critical complement to seeking any kind of care, if for no other reason than when the physician gives me a little background I've already been primed and can thus parse what he or she is telling me more fluidly. Being in the loop in this way makes me feel less helpless -- more of a cooperative part of the solution than merely a passive victim of whatever condition might be afflicting me.
Yours,
CBB
Posted by: Chester Burton Brown | March 1, 2010 4:07 PM | Reply
I have gout, so I looked at diets for gout. I found that liver wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and that asparagus was bad for me. So much for that! Thus I've followed my MD's advice to cut back on red meat, shellfish, and milk products and have not had any problems.
Posted by: Jim Thomerson | March 1, 2010 4:13 PM | Reply
Like many earlier posters and as a retired medical librarian, I use the Internet for up-to-date and authoritative information but never for advice. The first place I look is almost always The Merck Manual (http://www.merck.com/mmpe/index.html).
BTW, numerous of the SciBlogs medical and health related bloggers (Orac, PalMD, Revere, Terra Sig, Aetiology, Drug Monkey, et al.) are very good about pointing out quacks, frauds, snake oil salesmen and scaremongers, but how about Science Blogs setting up a special reference page where these same bloggers can create a link list of what they consider to be the most reliable sources of online information? That could be a very handy and useful reference source in its own right.
Posted by: chezjake | March 1, 2010 4:16 PM | Reply
Yes, I use the internet for medical information. It is essential, particularly to go beyond what the family doctor can impart, and also to help when dealing with specialists, who often disagree with one another.
First, just getting general information can help in getting started with medical issues.
Second, by checking the internet, it rapidly becomes clear what is liable to be total nonsense, because it is debunked by reputable websites.
Third, once one has a general idea what one is searching for, it becomes possible to hunt for reliable diagrams, photos, and information on the topic of interest by searching for appropriate texbooks and journals at the catalog website of the local university library.
In my state, any resident with a driver's license can check out books and use the public university library. Often, I simply go to the library and use the electronic access on the internet to then search for appropriate journal articles, which can be downloaded as pdfs on a thumb drive for later reading.
It helps that I took lots of biology and chemistry in college, even though I am a hydrogeologist and educator by training. One is continuously reminded that one should learn as much as possible in all subjects, especially the sciences, because one will eventually need it in life.
I shudder to think that the vast majority of people don't have such easy access to reliable medical information as I am fortunate to have.
Posted by: Karst | March 1, 2010 4:35 PM | Reply
Yes, it has proven useful in looking up side effects from medications. Quite helpful in distinguishing between a new symptom or an unpleasant side effect.
Posted by: Annette Saccoccio | March 1, 2010 4:47 PM | Reply
I often look for further information, to help me know what to expect when I talk to a doctor, and perhaps know what questions to ask. I rely on one or two reliable sites for this, notably NHS Direct.
I've also searched for information relating to my relatives' health, e.g. when my mother had cancer. I cast the net a bit wider for this, as I'm generally interested in personal experiences as well as treatment.
I've searched for advice on mental health issues, which I don't think the NHS handles very well. I use NHS Direct as a starting point, and reputable charities/patient support groups.
Posted by: SimonG | March 1, 2010 5:00 PM | Reply
I do, but very warily, avoiding scam sites, quack sites, nutjob sites, etc, in favor of the NIH or other reputable websites.
I recently checked out a oral cancer screening that is being offered/pushed by my dentist; turns out it's not well-supported by studies and is not ADA approved. So I declined.
Posted by: Jon H | March 1, 2010 5:46 PM | Reply
Yes. Because pubmed is awesome.
The "press-release" science that is so easy to find (both on- and offline) is virtually useless and potentially dangerously misleading, but there's nothing like going to the primary sources and reading what the scientists are actually finding.
Sure, it takes a bit more mental effort than being spoon-fed mass-media sound-bites, but the quality of information is much higher.
Admittedly, I'm also a nerd.
Posted by: Epicanis | March 1, 2010 6:05 PM | Reply
Yes, but I have to work hard to distinguish the validity and degree of confidence the source, and piece of information, deserves.
Generally the broader the claims, the simpler the story, the less specific the application, and the more they talk about cures, and conspiracies, the less reliable the information.
Poor sources often couch their language in terms of 'cures', 'revolutionary' and 'miraculous'.
Good information from good sources tends to be specific, provisional, mostly limited to treatments instead of cures, and includes a discussion of risks.
Good sources couch their language in terms of incremental advances, management, treatment.
Posted by: Art | March 1, 2010 6:16 PM | Reply
I use the Internet as a source of information so I can prepare to listen to what my doctor has to say. It can also remind me of things to mention in a visit. It is difficult to filter sometimes as there seems to be a "natural remedy" for anything that ails you.
I also use it for vet references for my dogs. Very handy that way actually.
Posted by: cass_m | March 1, 2010 6:37 PM | Reply
Yes. I generally trust it more than my doctor's advice.
If by "the internet" you mean "pubmed" and by "my doctor's advice" I mean "answer to weird obscure question they have to look up in an outdated PDR".
On the other hand, if it's a common thing that my doctor or nurse practitioner has a lot of hands-on experience with, I go with that. Except for mental health issues, where good advice is scant in any context.
Posted by: becca | March 1, 2010 6:37 PM | Reply
I use it a lot to get additional information on diagnoses done by professionals. In today's fast paced medicine it usually goes as "you suffer from X, you have Y, take Z, I see you in N weeks", and the internet is great to figure out what X, Y and Z are really about. Than I take 2 ibuprofen, go to bed and feel good in the morning.
Posted by: Mu | March 1, 2010 7:16 PM | Reply
I search the internet med sources for definitions, treatment qualifications, drug warnings, and other information. Advice needs to come from an authoritative source, so while I might go to the Web to research or cross-check advice, I would not use it instead of seeking a professional diagnosis/treatment plan. I do not believe that just being able to read can give me the same level of competency earned with years of study, residency, and practice in the medical sciences.
Posted by: Ed S. | March 1, 2010 7:29 PM | Reply
I research medical issues and meds on the internet regularly - for both myself and my family and friends. When I was told I needed to have my gallbladder removed, I was able to read about complication rates of lap chole, and what the most typical complications were. I was able to get numbers (hard data) that the surgeon wasn't able to give me.
When my brother and his wife had their son prematurely, and he was diagnosed with Downs, I was able to research the various treatments the doctors were suggesting for his preemie issues and give them fuller explanations of them than the doctors were giving them. They were VERY appreciative as they were at the hospital 24/7, tired and stressed.
I've found that doctors provide sort of a "lowest common denominator" explanation to patients, probably because they are always in a hurry with the limited time the insurance companies will pay them for. For someone of above-average intelligence, who wants to hear all aspects of an issue and all legit alternative treatments before agreeing to a a course of action, internet research is necessary.
I use google scholar to find medical journal articles to get more details.
The information I get from the internet helps me decide what questions I should be asking my doctor. Obviously it doesn't substitute for a doctor's opinion, it's a supplement.
Another good example: My mother was diagnosed with a polyp in her gall bladder and wondered if she really needed to have it removed or if the dr just wanted the opportunity to do the surgery. I did some research and was able to tell her that such polyps, when they exceed a certain size, have a material tendancy to become cancerous.
Posted by: Texas Reader | March 1, 2010 7:55 PM | Reply
of COURSE yes, what a strange question! i use google and wikipedia for all things i don't know, which is a far larger set than the set of things i DO know!
Posted by: blueshifter | March 1, 2010 9:11 PM | Reply
Yes, of course, what do you expect from the readers of a blog (Web log). And it is not so difficult to find authoritative advice from CDC or NIH or pubmed.
(and avoid most commercial sources, which are often just cribbed from the earlier edition of a NIH web page).
It was very helpful for a friend of my mother, in Germany, that I could print out some NIH web pages, which explained her son's cancer and confirmed that her son's cancer treatment was indeed up to the same standards as in the U.S. (She had thought that perhaps in the U.S. they must already have something better.) But I would have been reluctant to second-guess that person's doctor, or suggest a different treatment based on Web research alone.
Posted by: A | March 1, 2010 9:45 PM | Reply
I use the internet to find health information. I have some uncommon symptoms of an uncommon disease. Most specialists and some sub-specialists aren't aware of these. They aren't in material patients are given on the disease and rarely get mentioned in books but I've been able to find information online.
Online, I can also easily find pharmaceutical information meant for doctors, which, among other things, has a more comprehensive list of adverse-effects. This can help give me an idea if a problem is because of my illness or if it might be a drug. Also, looking up drug information once led me to discover that I had overdosed on a common drug despite taking the doctor ordered; I called poison control for advice.
Posted by: Beth | March 1, 2010 9:47 PM | Reply
A PA once suggested that I consult www.webmd.com, said that they were pretty reliable. I use their symptom finder when I'm wondering if I should see a PA (I'm not important enough to ever see a DR) for this or that symptom, and they're good for questions on diet and exercise. I also use their advice on home treatments. But I take it all with a grain of salt. I seem to recall them endorsing forms of "alternative medicine," too.
Posted by: Jackal | March 1, 2010 9:52 PM | Reply
Yes, but I take the information with a grain of salt. For instance, I put my symptoms into WebMD and it had me dying of various cancers. Also one must realize that the internet has false information too. Sadly with the economy tanking, many uninsured people are using the internet versus seeing a qualified professional.
Researching drug interactions, or looking up details of something you have been diagnosed with are really the best uses of the internet.
Posted by: Ocean County Wedding Photographer | March 1, 2010 11:17 PM | Reply
I do. I find that the internet hides tons of good and valuable information. If you know how to surf it and filter out the information that you find you can get a pretty good advice on your health condition.
Besides there are situation when you have to make a certain decision about your or your family member health, but are hesitant of what is going to be the right choice. In such case the internet is an incomparable place. Other people who have been to similar situation and had same health conditions share their knowledge and experience that help you to make a right decision.
There is also tons of free drug, supplement and other health related products reviews which you can’t get anywhere else.
Posted by: Marina | March 2, 2010 7:58 AM | Reply
Yes. I do some preliminary research, accounting for my medical history & environmental/lifestyle factors, in order to ask my doctor more intelligent questions & have some idea what he's going to want to know from me.
Posted by: Stephen Couchman | March 2, 2010 8:11 AM | Reply
Yes. As a diabetic I rely on diabetesforums for opinions about food, meds, things that others have found to work or not work. More generally, I gather information about meds and concerns so I can ask intelligent, better informed questions when I see my doc.
Posted by: MikeMa | March 2, 2010 9:05 AM | Reply
I went to my doc with really bad foot pain and he told me I didn't really need to see him. "Google 'plantar fasciitis' and if those symptoms fit, start with the stretching exercises. If that doesn't help, come and see me again," is what he suggested. Now my feet are fine. I still go to my doc first with health-related questions; I don't necessarily trust what's out there and I'm not sure how to decide which sites to trust . . . .
Posted by: Don | March 2, 2010 2:06 PM | Reply
Oh yeah; my doc suggested the Mayo Clinic web site for general questions. (He would, of course, being a Mayo doc ;^)
Posted by: Don | March 2, 2010 2:09 PM | Reply
I'm always a little bit leary of other people using the internet to for medical knowledge, I do all the time. The Mayo Clinic web site, for example, is my go-to website when something seems off or if I have any questions about medications I've been prescribed.
I'm an athlete, and I'm one of those people who just tends to notice every time something is up with my body, even if it's nothing. That, combined with a microbiology major and a(n un)healthy list of medical conditions that I have a family history of, or medical conditions that I have, could be a recipe for serious hypochondria. Instead, I generally use it to assuage my few irrational fears (like my tendency to convince myself I have appendicitis when it's just dysmenorrhea again) and to give myself a healthy dose of concern when I feel like ignoring a problem. For the most part, though, I use the internet to check to make sure the side effects of whatever medication I might be on are normal, and to double check what I can and can't take with it.
So far, I haven't gone in to the doctor for no reason based on 'internet advice'. Generally, I just use it to stay informed and understand what's happening in my body better. And, occasionally, it convinces me to go to the doctor when I wouldn't otherwise.
Last fall, I was bulldozed to the ground playing pickup mud football on the campus green. I knew I had done something to my back, there was a fair amount of bruising where someone's foot connected with it. It felt like I had a herniated disk again, and maybe something a bit worse, but with ridiculous pain tolerance like mine it's hard to tell. I went about the rest of my evening, ordered some pizza, and got out the back exercises I had saved from the last time I slipped a disk.
I'm one of those unfortunate many who can't take aspirin or ibuprofen, so my back pain was on my mind a bit more than normal, and I figured, since it was keeping me up, I might as well look it up. And I'm very, very glad I did. Skimming through the 'when to see a doctor' section of the Mayo Clinic, I noticed that the location of most of the bruising was right above my kidney. I went in to the health clinic, got a scolding from Robin, the RN, and they tested my urine and found blood in it. The damage wasn't too bad, but bad enough that they hospitalized me and gave me broad-spectrum antibiotics.
I would have gone in eventually when the pain didn't get any better, but still.
Posted by: Erin R | March 2, 2010 7:17 PM | Reply