Taleen Lara Ashekian: The Rise of ‘Dr. Google,’ the risks of self-diagnosis and online search symptoms

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Virtual healthcare was more widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people accessing healthcare providers remotely. However, easy and convenient access to technology means that some people may choose to bypass medical care and see Dr. Google directly, with an online self-diagnosis.

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This is a common scenario: Imagine someone sitting at home, when suddenly their head starts pounding, their eyes start to itch, and their heart rate increases. They reach for their phone or laptop to quickly Google what might be wrong.

The search results may provide accurate answers about the cause of the person’s symptoms. Or the search might falsely suggest that they are well on their way to an early death.

As a researcher in the virtual care domain, I am aware that online self-diagnosis has become very common and that technology has changed the way healthcare is delivered.

Pagination Dr. Google

Online health information took on a new importance during the pandemic, when the use of online sources to assess COVID-19 symptoms and self-assessment was encouraged. However, the act of online self-diagnosis is not new.

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In 2013, it was reported that more than half of Canadians surveyed said they used Google search to self-diagnose. In 2020, 69% of Canadians used the internet to find health information and 25% used online sources to track their fitness or health.

Virtual care and online self-diagnosis share some benefits, such as the convenience of not having to make an appointment, saving travel time to the office, and avoiding waiting rooms. However, the key difference between virtual care and Google symptoms is that there is no direct communication with a doctor when self-diagnosing online.

Some may choose to self-diagnose because they feel it gives them more control over their health, while others may find it helps them better communicate symptoms to their doctor. Some patients may fear misdiagnosis or medical errors.

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Over time, people can get better at diagnosing using the Internet. Online sources can provide information and support for a specific medical condition. They may also be helpful for people with ongoing symptoms who have not been able to get a diagnosis from health professionals.

Using the Internet to learn more about a condition after it has been diagnosed by a health care provider can be helpful and can lessen the stress of a diagnosis if the sites you go to are trustworthy.

However, trying to select credible sources and filter out misinformation can be a daunting process. Some of the information found online has little or no credibility. A study that focused on the spread of fake news on social media found that false information traveled faster and more widely than the truth.

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Risks of self-diagnosis

The risks of using online health resources include increased anxiety and fear. The term cyberchondria can be defined as someone who experiences a great deal of health anxiety when looking up symptoms on the internet.

Misdiagnosis is also a danger, especially if doing so means not seeking treatment. For example, if a person confidently self-diagnoses his stomach pains as gastroenteritis, he may be hesitant to believe his doctor’s diagnosis of appendicitis.

There is also the risk of being so sure that the self-diagnosis is correct that it is difficult to accept a different diagnosis from a health professional. Misdiagnosis can be even very serious if a possible heart attack, stroke, seizure, or tumor is not detected.

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Other risks may include increased stress for both patient and physicians, taking or mixing medications ineffectively, and increased costs for treatments or medications that may not be necessary.

Social media and mental health

Social media has given people a voice to share personal health-related stories and remedies. The number of active social media users in Canada has increased by 1.1 million since 2021. This raises the question of how people may be influenced by what they see online and whether it may affect health choices.

In 2018, a Canadian Internet Use Survey examined reports of the negative effects of social media use. It revealed that more than 12 percent of users reported feeling anxious or depressed, frustrated or angry, or envious of the lives of others.

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On the contrary, social networks have also allowed people with mental health problems to feel united by sharing experiences and support. However, this may also have contributed to self-diagnosis (and potentially misdiagnosis) of mental health problems, such as anxiety and personality disorders. This can put people at physical and mental risk if it results in inappropriate treatment.

The reality is that online self-diagnosis cannot be prevented. But those who consult Dr. Google should be aware of the potential risks, confirm information found online with a health care provider, and ask health care providers for reliable online sources of information about their diagnoses.

Taleen Lara Ashekian is a health sciences researcher and doctoral student at Simon Fraser University.

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This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent, nonprofit source for news, analysis, and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site.

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