One in 10 adults will 'diagnose themselves online' before seeing a doctor, study finds
A recent study has revealed that one in ten adults' initial response to feeling unwell is to search their symptoms online, rather than visiting a pharmacy or booking an appointment with a GP. A survey of 2,000 adults discovered that they will self-diagnose with 1,202 illnesses and ailments throughout their lifetime by resorting to Google.
The majority of adults turn to search engines for medical information, followed by officially medical websites and AI platforms. Consequently, over half have self-diagnosed themselves and 33% were incorrect with their diagnosis. But only realised their diagnosis was wrong after receiving test results, consulting a professional at their local surgery or visiting a hospital.
The research, commissioned by Bluecrest found, on average, individuals search up symptoms do this twice a month, but Gen-Z's are the most frequent users, doing so three times a month.
Dr Martin Thornton, chief medical officer at Bluecrest said:'We rely on online sources for so much of our information these days. But when it comes to our health, we shouldn't solely accept what we read online, particularly when the source isn't backed up by reliable, expert-led research.
'Although it's useful to find out what symptoms might mean and get a quick answer, the outcomes can cause more worry than its worth."
In an effort to raise awareness on basic health knowledge, Bluecrest have created a new quiz to discover your Health IQ score. Take the quiz and see how you stack up against the rest of the country.
Dr Martin explained: 'We created the Health IQ because we believe health intelligence has never been more important, in this world of growing misinformation.
'We hope our tool can help change that, making people more aware of their health knowledge, and encouraging them to take proactive steps to understand their bodies better.'
The study also revealed that reasons for initially searching online include seeking a quicker answer (51%), peace of mind (43%) and to anticipate what the next symptoms might be (22%).
However, 34% believe that looking up symptoms online when feeling unwell often delivers the worst news, while 40% said it can lead to further complications down the line. Additionally, 38% confessed that although it's quick and easy to self-diagnose, it's often incorrect.
One in five have sought professional help after being alarmed by online results, but on average, people wait six days before consulting a medical professional.
Dr Martin added: 'The results of the research and our Health IQ tool highlight some gaps in knowledge around general wellbeing, nutrition and conditions.
'It's important to be clued up on your own health status in order to correctly treat and prevent issues. In the long run this will help have a smarter approach to personal health.'
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Nevertheless, the health board would like to assure the family it is doing everything possible to prevent a similar incident occurring in future."
