To use Dr. Google or not that is the question

The internet is an almost endless source of information. All kinds of information are easily accessible there. People often look online for answers about their own symptoms, diagnoses, or medications. Because search engines like Google are usually used for this, the phrase "asking Dr. Google" has become common. But just as widespread as this saying should be a healthy dose of skepticism toward the "diagnoses" or information you get that way. Unfortunately, alongside reliable sources, the web also contains at least as many false or misleading pieces of information.

Especially when it comes to health information, seemingly harmless searches can lead to dangerous half-truths and self-diagnoses. The more vague the search, the more likely this is. Also, trustworthy answers aren't necessarily among the first results.

How accurate are the results?

A German-Russian team studied how well Google and the Russian search engine Yandex can answer health questions. They identified 30 common searches about diseases and remedies and analyzed the top-ten results from Yandex and Google. They focused on the so-called snippetsthe short preview texts shown for the first ten results. These previews could be taken by the searcher as the final answer.

The analysis results were sobering. On Yandex about 44%, and on Google about one-third of the shown results, contained untruths and simply false statements. They also criticized the lack of warnings about potentially toxic substances. Such warnings were found in only 13% and 10% of the results, respectively.

What is cyberchondria?

Another study looked at how searching the internet for a specific symptom affects the searcher. Seventy-nine students were asked about a personal symptom and then asked to search the web about it for a short timefive minutes. After searching, participants were consistently more worried about the described symptom than they had been before the search.

This effect even has a name: cyberchondriamodeled on hypochondria, which means an excessive worry about being ill or becoming ill, and "cyber" meaning related to the internet. Cyberchondria therefore describes increased worry about one's health because of information found online about symptoms, diagnoses, medications, etc.

What's behind searching the internet for symptoms, medications, or diseases?

People often search the internet about their symptoms before seeing a doctor, or they look up diagnoses or prescribed medications after a doctor's visit. In other words, it's often a wish for a second (or third, fourth, fifth...) opinion.

Tips

Both are understandable. However, anyone who asks Dr. Google should check how trustworthy the results are. Was the search query precise and specific? Are the results reliable for what you were looking for? The best answers to your question aren't necessarily the top-listed hits. Checking the imprint, the listed sources, and the date of the last update can help judge credibility. Be especially cautious with results from online forums; they often contain poorly validated information. Examine them carefully and don't ignore common sense.

A very good alternative to searching the web is offered by many health insurance providers, who allow you to chat with a real doctor and get information about symptoms, diagnoses, medications, or simply a second opinion that way.

And what about TikTok?
A professional article looked into health information on the platform TikTok. Based on a user's behavior, the algorithm suggests short videos it deems relevantthis includes videos about health topics. The quality of this information varies widely: from very good, accurate posts to plainly false claims. So again, a healthy dose of skepticism is advised; don't take every claim at face value.

How about artificial intelligence (AI)?

Medical research is increasingly studying how large language models (LLMs) can be used to answer medical questions for end users. These models, including ChatGPT, show promising approaches but also clear limitations. Answers should always be double-checked because the technology tends to "hallucinate"that is, present made-up facts.

Sources:

https://www.tk.de/techniker/magazin/digitale-gesundheit/spezial/gesundheitskompetenz/dr-google-richtig-nutzen-2103004
https://www.daag.de/dr-google-die-gefahren-einer-recherche-nach-krankheitssymptomen-online/
https://healthcare-in-europe.com/de/news/dr-google-fragen-keine-gute-idee.html
https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/128702/Suchmaschinen-liefern-bei-Gesundheitsanfragen-oft-fehlerhafte-Angaben
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3459637.3482141
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberchondrie
https://www.netdoktor.de/krankheiten/hypochondrie/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2816695

https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/wie-gut-ist-tiktok-als-gesundheitsberater-146752/

This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 06/2024).

Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.