A very common thing for people of all ages to do is go online and try to find answers for their symptoms. Sometimes they find answers to their questions or they find the solution to their problem. Often times, however people research their symptoms and end up paranoid and scared thinking there might be something seriously wrong with themselves. While some people feel the need to find answers, others argue that the internet isn’t always as reliable as people like to believe.
There are many reasons why people look up their symptom and there are three very common types of people that research their health problems. The first type being the people that find good results and end in relief. This is because they realize that the problems they’re having aren’t serious, or that the solution to their problems is fairly easy to accomplish.
The second type is the people that have been diagnosed with an actual health problem and go online to find answers to their question. Researching helps them to know what to expect. “It may help them regain a sense of control during a scary and sometimes helpless time” (Weiser). For this type of people knowing information whether it be good or bad, helps them to feel comfort.
The third and what I personally think is the most common type is those that don’t have a lot of knowledge on their health issues. They don’t know how serious their problems really are, well because they aren’t doctors to really know. These are the type of people that google
Once one question is finally answered it can raise more like you often see in mystery novels. If someone got bored of something just because they learned the explanation for it then that shows they were never really interested to begin with. If someone is truly interested in a topic looking it up could not only answer some of their questions it could make them like it even more and improve their interest in it. In addition if someone is curious about something but wants to keep that curiosity to maintain that. Just because everyone has access to the internet doesn't mean everyone uses it.
Education of patients and families regarding the reliability of internet information is prudent. Given the enormous amount of information available via the World Wide Web, not all of which, as you illustrate, is reliable, it is of great importance that patients and families comprehend the unreliability of some of the information they may acquire. Patients who are unable to gain access to health care secondary to a lack of funds, insurance, or availability of their provider, may be inclined to review their symptoms utilizing a search engine. Moreover, patients who were incapable of accessing healthcare due to reasons other than a lack of insurance are more likely to utilize the internet to obtain health related
In the present, it is harder for doctors to leave patience uninformed with the help of Google or Web MD. Today internet has been an almost unlimited source of information at our fingertips. Sometimes people would get themselves paranoid by creating a self-diagnosis by using web MD. When a patient would go to hospitals, they ask more question and challenge doctors competence of what or why they might be diagnosed.
In the Article “How Google, Wikipedia Have Changed Our Lives…” Jennifer Maderazo states that, we’ve become so reliant on electronic information resources. Researching then was implying researching involved going through book after book, making copies, highlighting copies then start to write. Researching Now states that everything research is related to the internet and if not in use there is a feeling of being crippled. In the article learning then gives the feeling of how relying on the classroom experience was more helpful for information. In addition, in learning now says that the tolerance level would be the same as the internet attention span. Based on the past lets us know how we didn’t have the resources to just look up a song or the
This could indicate that the psychological effect if believing you are helping yourself by taking medication works to reduce symptoms.
Whilst at first glance symptoms look maladaptive, closer analysis reveals that the individual benefits from them and, in some way, the individual is protected by their symptoms. In effect, the symptoms represent a solution to a problem, although a far-from-ideal solution. (Watson,1924)
in general. Although we know what makes us feel better we often rely on the doctor’s advice
Six long, strenuous months have passed since the last doctor’s appointment and the pain increases rapidly. Busy schedules prevent many individuals from scheduling a second appointment, and when this occurs people seek comfort through the internet. Medical websites provide copious amounts of information on diseases, symptoms, and alternative methods of treatment but they are not a cure for diagnosis. These websites produce harmful effects on the mental health of patients, and they should resist the urge to google a treatment plan before the doctor diagnoses one. The equipment and resources available at clinics and hospitals provide more accuracy than the internet ever will.
The Internet and sophisticated search engines and databases have significantly changed how nurses find this clinical information. Although Internet users have a breadth of information resources readily available, the quality of these resources is unmonitored. As a result, there is often a disconnect between the convenience of Google searching for any information and purposeful searching of more complex databases for reliable, credible information (p.1).
WebMD’s health-related information is directed to a layperson but also hosts several websites that target medical specialists. WebMD tends to target audiences who are “seeking health information with a sense of purpose” (WebMD.com, 2012). This web-based resource provides information for a broad spectrum of consumers with acute or chronic illnesses. A special feature that attracts consumers to WebMD is the symptom checker. The symptom checker allows consumers to answer several questions about their illness, and in turn, the website provides a list of several possible medical conditions. The consumer has an opportunity to review detailed disease information, causes, and treatment options. The WebMD website also connects laypeople and clinicians with heath care
I will admit that I am a Google addict and use the site probably 5 times a day on average. I Google everything from a celebrity I saw on TV, to a word in Downton Abbey I don’t understand, to a concept in my Biology class. Among the things I Google is information about an illness or symptom. I usually just type in the general symptoms I am feeling and then click on a few of the different sites that pop up. With this info I do not self-medicate, but I just try to better understand what is going on. Now that I think about it, I never really thought that the info on a site I believed to be trusted, like WebMD, could be inaccurate. WebMD and MayoClinic.com are both sites that I would look at when the popped up on my Google search. I did tend to like MayoClinic.com better, but only because it was easier to use. I just assumed both sites would be credible and trustworthy.
Howard, Levine, Davis, and Peek (2003) found that young people increasingly use the Internet to get health information. Teens were more likely to approach health issues at a better angle when they were able to conduct the research themselves. They were also more likely to talk to others, including their
Sarah Nettleton’s article “I just want permission to be ill”: Towards a sociology of medically unexplained symptoms exemplifies the feeling of uncertainty Danny had experienced. “Those who experience debilitating symptoms for which there is no explanation, label, diagnosis, prognosis or treatment invariably endure a significant degree of embodied doubt and uncertainty” (Nettleton 2006, 1167). In April 2016, Danny experienced anal bleeding that occurred for over a month. Danny entered the pre-diagnostic stage where patients often engaged in “information work” to try and figure out what is wrong with them. They often search through books and internet sites and diagnose themselves (Nettleton 2006, 1268). After worrying and searching through endless internet sites, he finally had enough and went to a walk-in clinic. We waited for over
Health and medicine are important for a society to run smoothly. The internet can be very dangerous. First of all, one does not know who is putting this information on the internet and many illnesses have similar symptoms but need different treatments. It is not always easy to decide what is reliable. 80% of internet users go online to find health related information. Many people rely and trust the internet which makes them sicker. When one is unhealthy, it leads to them not being able to perform their role in society and become exempt from normal obligations. Doctors play a vital role in keeping people healthy and productive in our society. People tend to believe what they read on the internet. But as we have learned
This type of information may be found on websites such as Web MD http://webmd.com, Medline http://medlineplus.gov/, or Health Finder http://www.healthfinder.gov/. An individual can utilize the information found on the previous pages to help determine if they should seek further care from their physician. It is important to note that health information found on these pages is no substitute for a thorough visit and diagnosis from a licensed physician, as stated in a typical medical information page disclaimer: “Do not rely upon any of the information provided on this site for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your primary health care provider about any personal health concerns.[4] People can also find information on personal fitness (diet and exercise programs), and mental health activities.