While some students seek medical help from Student Health Services, more and more people are turning to the Internet for their medical woes.
According to a Feb.1 Pew Internet Project survey, health searches online are becoming increasingly popular, especially when food and drug safety news hit the media.
“Eighty percent of Internet users look online for health information, making it the third most popular online pursuit among all those tracked by the Pew Internet Project, following email and using a search engine,” according to a Pew Project press release.
College students were among those most likely to diagnose themselves online. Other groups likely to use the Internet to find diagnoses included women, whites, younger adults and adults with some form of higher education.
Eighty-six percent of women with Internet access research health information online compared to 73 percent of men with Internet access. According to the study, both women and men have an essentially equal chance of having Internet access.
The study also states the rise of wireless device use could change the demographic more. With increasing numbers of young adults owning BlackBerrys and iPhones, they are more likely to search for medical diseases online.
Despite the fact that the Internet has become increasingly popular for health searches, some people are still ignorant about health related issues, according to the Pew press release.
“The Internet has become a go-to resource for most Americans, but some groups are still on the other side of the health information divide,” said Susannah Fox, associate director of the Pew Internet Project and author of the study, in a press release.
“Many people, particularly the most vulnerable populations, are not likely to see the most up-to-date information on drug recalls, food safety, and medical treatments.”
Though many Boston University students have said they searched for medical conditions online, many were also conflicted about the practice. Some students said they constantly search for health related diagnosis on the web.
“Always,” said Winshanai Gandy, a College of General Studies sophomore, referring to how often she self-diagnoses. “I don’t like going to the doctor most of the time and so I diagnose myself online.”
Other students said they were more cautionary in their approach and only used the Internet to start their diagnosis and pursued it further by visiting a medical expert.
“I just Google the symptoms, and if it looks serious I’ll pursue it further by going to the doctor,” said John Sanderson, a College of Communication sophomore.
However there is room for error, said COM junior Fuming Cao.
“I diagnose whatever fits, but obviously it’s a medical issue and a lot of symptoms look similar,” Cao said. “Some of my friends misdiagnose themselves thinking they have something serious like Hepatitis when it might actually just be a fever.”
SHS’s website has a Self-Care section which takes students to familydoctor.org to help in self-diagnosis. However, the website advises patients to visit the doctor if the diagnosis is serious.
If the issue looked serious, many students said they would check with a doctor.
“It really depends on where I am,” said School of Management junior JJ Wu Chang. “I might do a medical web search and then double check it with a doctor later.”
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