Health-Related Information on the Internet

Health-Related Information on the Internet

During my time working in an emergency room, I met a patient who came in with acute stomach discomfort, convinced that they had a life-threatening ailment based on information they discovered on the Internet. The patient had researched their symptoms online and was certain that they were suffering from an uncommon and serious ailment. Descriptions of various medical problems, symptoms, and potential therapies were among the health-related information collected via the Internet. However, the material was not tailored to the patient’s personal situation, and it lacked the context required to make an appropriate assessment.

Further examination revealed that the patient’s information gathered from the Internet was incorrect. There are substantial safety issues regarding consumers accessing health-related information on the Internet. Patients’ symptoms may be misinterpreted, causing undue concern and even self-diagnosis of serious illnesses. To assess the quality of health-related material on the Internet, one should consider whether the information is compatible with what is already known about the medical condition (Chiu et al., 2021). It may not be reliable if it contradicts accepted medical knowledge.

The patient most likely viewed the Internet material through an anxious lens, hyper-focusing on symptoms that corresponded with the worst-case situations they read about, potentially leading to increased dread and stress. As a result, they may have taken radical measures, such as self-medicating or rushing to the emergency room for unneeded testing and procedures, which may have resulted in an unfair financial burden and exposure to medical hazards. To assess the credibility and source of health-related information on the Internet, consider its currency and consistency with established medical knowledge, cross-reference it with reputable sources, and consult a healthcare professional for a reliable diagnosis and treatment plan.

References

Chiu, Y.-L., Tsai, C.-C., & Liang, J.-C. (2021). Laypeople’s online health information search strategies and utilization for health-related problems: A cross-sectional survey (Preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research. https://doi.org/10.2196/29609

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In this written assignment, you will address health-related information on the Internet.

Step 1 Share an example of a time in your practice when you have had concerns about information that a patient (or family member, friend, or you) has obtained from the Internet.

Health-Related Information on the Internet

If you have not had such an experience, go to a consumer health information website, such as WebMD, and look up a health condition that you typically see in your practice or have seen in your clinical experiences. Consider how a patient might use this information as you answer the questions in Step 2.

Step 2 In a one-page paper, describe safety concerns related to people who seek health-related information on the Internet and explain how to evaluate the quality of health-related information on the Internet. Use the following questions as guidelines for your paper:

What was the perceived health problem, and how did you or the patient research this problem?
What health-related information was obtained?
Was the information accurate?
How did (or might) the patient interpret the information?
What did (or might) the patient do with the information obtained?
What actual or potential harm could have happened as a result of the information?
How can you evaluate the quality of health-related