What are some issues with accessing health information on the Internet?

What are some issues with accessing health information on the Internet?

The biggest concerns regarding using the internet to learn about health information were misinformation (46%), difficulty finding trustworthy websites (33%), concerns about privacy (33%), concerns about being scammed (26%) and being overwhelmed with information (24%).

How accurate is health information on the Internet?

Among the websites examined, 46% were evaluated as excellent, 15% as good, 18% as fair, 9% as poor, and 11% as very poor using an objective measure of quality. Other studies could be cited to show that the quality of health information on the internet is highly variable.

Can you trust medical information on the Internet?

Where Can I Find Reliable Health Information Online? The National Institutes of Health website is a good place to start for reliable health information. As a rule, health websites sponsored by Federal Government agencies are good sources of information. You can reach all Federal websites by visiting www.usa.gov.

What are the dangers of receiving health information from unreliable websites?

Understanding the dangers of unreliable sources A health website with false or misleading information can “cause individual and social harm by nurturing false beliefs about medicine, disease, and prevention,” according to an AMA Journal of Ethics article.

Why do we need to look for reliable sources about health information?

Background: Having a reliable source for health information is vital to build a strong foundation of knowledge, especially with the current revolution of the internet and social media, which raises many concerns regarding harmful effects on the health of the public.

How does the internet change or influence the way individuals seek out health care information?

Other positive effects of Internet health information are enhanced patient confidence in dealing with physicians, better health choices and decision making, improved understanding of health conditions, and improved communication with physicians [28,29].

What are the unreliable sources of health information?

Other information may not be as reliable as that from healthcare professionals. It is best to assess other sources of medical information with an open mind as they may be inaccurate. These include magazine or TV stories or ads, advice from family and friends, or websites that may be promoting a product.

Why is online information unreliable?

#1 There is no quality assurance when it comes to information found on the Internet: Anyone can post anything. #2 In most cases, information found on the web has not been checked for accuracy. #3 Not all web sites are created equal. They differ in quality, purpose, and bias.

What is the least reliable source of health information?

The results showed that the family doctor and pharmacist were generally regarded as the most reliable sources, whereas TV advertisements, newspaper and magazine articles were among the least reliable.

What are three dangers of using Internet sites for self diagnosis of health issues?

What are the risks of self-diagnosis?

• Unwarranted panic. For some, it’s a simple math equation: Symptoms + internet search = you’re probably dying.
• Unreliable sources.
• Unfounded nonchalance.
• Unnecessary treatments and testing.
• Inability to accept professional diagnosis.

What are some unreliable sources of health information?

Examples of sources that may or may not have reliable health information:

• personal blogs.
• YouTube.
• social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram,and Pinterest.
• anecdotes from friends or family members.

What is reliable and unreliable health information?

Reliable sources have links to verifiable, current evidence, unreliable sources do not. Reputable news articles usually link their sources within the paragraphs and the links should take the reader to the main source of information, which itself is also a reliable source.

What are the negative effects of Internet?

The five broad types of negative effects identified were: 1) Internet addiction; 2) Negative effects on cognitive development; 3) Information overload; 4) Negative effects on public/private boundaries; and 5) Negative effects on social relationships.

Why Online information is unreliable?

Why you shouldn’t self-diagnose on the internet?

“Don’t use the Internet to self-diagnose. You are likely to cause yourself unnecessary stress, or possibly minimize something that could be serious. But, once you have a professional diagnosis, you can use trusted sites to learn more about your condition,” says Dr. Vance.

What are the negative effects of self-diagnosis?

When individuals self-diagnosis psychological syndromes, they can miss a medical disease that contributes to their symptoms. With self diagnosis you also run the risk of being completely wrong about an illness you have, especially if the symptoms you are experiencing are common.

How does technology affect our health?

Social media and mobile devices may lead to psychological and physical issues, such as eyestrain and difficulty focusing on important tasks. They may also contribute to more serious health conditions, such as depression. The overuse of technology may have a more significant impact on developing children and teenagers.

How the internet affects children’s health?

Children and teens who spend more time with social media or who sleep with mobile devices in their rooms are at greater risk for sleep problems. Exposure to light (particularly blue light) and stimulating content from screens can delay or disrupt sleep, and have a negative effect on school. Problematic internet use.