Using the internet to find health and medical information can help you make more informed health decisions, but it is not a replacement for seeing a doctor. Although some health information on the internet can be useful, you should be aware of the risks because medical misinformation or “cyber quackery” is common.

Why do people look for health information on the internet?

According to a Nielsen study from 2010, searching for health and fitness information was one of the top ten internet activities for Australians over the age of 16. We go online to find health information for a variety of reasons, including:

• Learn more about a medically diagnosed disease or illness.
• Discover alternative medical treatments.
• Obtain a second opinion.’
• Seek help from other internet users suffering from the same medical condition or illness (via ‘chat rooms,’ online discussion forums, blogs or communities, or social media such as Facebook).
• Locate appropriate patient support groups or other healthcare services.
• Resolve any discrepancies in health information.

A quarter of all Australians seek health information online on a regular basis. This is expected to rise as more people use the internet to supplement their doctor’s recommendations. However, it appears that the vast majority of people continue to seek medical help for diagnosis, information about prescription medications, or a referral. You can check out Best Health care Essentials will help to provide a guideline for best health care.

The Risks of Self-Diagnosis

It is critical not to self-diagnose or self-medicate using online health information. Self-diagnosis via medical websites is always difficult because the information provided is usually related to specific medical conditions rather than your specific situation. For example, if you type the symptom “stomach pain” into the search engine of a general health and medical website, you might get results for gastritis, appendicitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or gastroenteritis.

It would be a mistake to take these recommendations as diagnoses. Your stomach pain could be due to gas buildup from the baked beans and eggs you had for lunch, or it could be a sign of a life-threatening emergency.

Safety issues include:

• The diagnosis could be incorrect.
• Self-medication may cause you to miss out on a proper diagnosis by delaying your visit to the doctor.
• You may not receive the appropriate treatment for your condition if you do not seek medical attention.
• A delay in medical treatment may result in serious complications or death in the case of a serious illness.
• The treatment you select may have unfavorable side effects or interact with your other medications, treatments, alcohol, or drugs.

Be wary of online medical and health products.

Online, a wide variety of health and medical products are available. It is extremely difficult to distinguish between a good and a bad product on the internet. Before you part with your money, exercise caution and consult with your doctor or a healthcare professional.

While some products are available from reputable companies, others are marketed by unscrupulous individuals looking to make money off of unsuspecting online consumers. The product you buy could be fake, contain harmful ingredients not listed on the label, or be inappropriate for your condition.

Locating a Trustworthy Health Information Website

Remember that neither this nor any other checklist is perfect. In general, before deciding whether to trust someone, you should ask yourself the following questions.

• Who is in charge of the content? Examine the website to see if it is owned or sponsored by a reputable organization. Every affiliation should be prominently displayed on the home page or accessible via a link from the home page
• Examine the credentials and qualifications. Be especially cautious if the people behind the content are anonymous.
• Can you contact the website’s owners via email, phone, fax, regular mail, or street address? Be wary if the owners do not provide any form of communication.
• Do the sponsors have any direct influence over the content? Is the role of the sponsor(s) defined?

‘User-friendly’ health information

You should also find an easy-to-use health information website. If you come across a poorly constructed website, you should seek out alternative sources of information. If you want to know more information about health care, visit Top Health Products for professional assistance.

Questions to consider include:

• Is there a fancy ‘bells and whistles design on the website that your computer can’t handle or that simply doesn’t work?
• Is it difficult to use the website?
• Is the font too small to read, or is it difficult to read because of a poor color scheme?
• Are the articles written poorly? Do the articles, for example, fail to explain the information in a logical and easy-to-understand manner?
• Is the content overly reliant on jargon?
• Are abbreviations and jargon left undefined?
• Is the website redirecting you to a site you didn’t intend to visit?
• Do advertisements always obscure the text?