Latest news with #HealthIQ
The Irish Sun
01-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
From cancer warning signs to heart disease risk factors – online quiz reveals how clued up you are on all things health
ARE you clued up on general health and wellbeing knowledge - knowing how much fruit and veg you should eat a day and the amount of exercise you should aim for each week? An online tool can help you find out your Health IQ number and how you compare to the rest of the nation. 2 A new quiz has been developed to test people's knowledge on different aspects of health Credit: Getty 2 Be quizzed about BMI, healthy cholesterol levels and early diabetes symptoms with the online tool Credit: Bluecrest Questions delve into nutrition and diet, chronic conditions and preventative health, resulting in suggested ways to take a more proactive approach to your health - have a go at the quiz It comes as a poll of 2,000 adults found they will diagnose themselves with 1,202 illnesses and ailments over the course of their lifetime by turning to 'Dr Google'. The first thing 14 per cent do when they start feeling unwell is search their symptoms online, rather than going to a pharmacy, making a GP appointment or visiting a walk-in centre. Individuals typically do this twice a month, but Gen-Z's do so more than any other generation at three times a month. Read more on cancer symptoms The research was commissioned by Bluecrest and found the majority turn to search engines for insights (77 per cent), followed by medical websites and AI platforms (15 per cent). As a result, 56 per cent have self-diagnosed themselves with an illness - and 33 per cent of those who have done so were incorrect with their diagnosis. They only found out they'd falsely detected something when they received correct test results (38 per cent), spoke to a professional at their local surgery (38 per cent) or visited hospital (34 per cent). Dr Martin Thornton, chief medical officer at Most read in Health '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. Life-saving NHS health checks to spot killer diseases will be carried out at work '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 research also found reasons for initially searching online include to get a quicker answer (51 per cent), peace of mind (43 per cent) and to find out what the next symptoms might be (22 per cent). Despite this, 34 per cent believe searching online when feeling unwell often tells you the worst news and 40 per cent said it can cause more issues in the long run. And 38 per cent admitted while it's quick and easy to self-diagnose it's often incorrect. A fifth have sought professional help after being alarmed by online results, but on average people wait six days before speaking to a medic. The OnePoll stats also revealed lack of knowledge around health and wellbeing, including 20 per cent not knowing the recommended daily fruit and veg portion number is five. A further 61 per cent aren't aware the advised amount of physical activity adults should aim for a week is 150 minutes and half don't know the healthy range for 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.' Eight ways to stay on top of your health Keep to a healthy weight Do regular exercise Make sure you get good quality sleep Eat well Cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink Quit smoking Get help for addiction Look after your sexual health Source: NHS
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
From cancer warning signs to heart disease risk factors – online quiz reveals how clued up you are on all things health
Plus, eight ways you can stay on top of your health HEALTH CHECK From cancer warning signs to heart disease risk factors – online quiz reveals how clued up you are on all things health ARE you clued up on general health and wellbeing knowledge - knowing how much fruit and veg you should eat a day and the amount of exercise you should aim for each week? An online tool can help you find out your Health IQ number and how you compare to the rest of the nation. 2 A new quiz has been developed to test people's knowledge on different aspects of health Credit: Getty 2 Be quizzed about BMI, healthy cholesterol levels and early diabetes symptoms with the online tool Credit: Bluecrest Questions delve into nutrition and diet, chronic conditions and preventative health, resulting in suggested ways to take a more proactive approach to your health - have a go at the quiz here. It comes as a poll of 2,000 adults found they will diagnose themselves with 1,202 illnesses and ailments over the course of their lifetime by turning to 'Dr Google'. The first thing 14 per cent do when they start feeling unwell is search their symptoms online, rather than going to a pharmacy, making a GP appointment or visiting a walk-in centre. Individuals typically do this twice a month, but Gen-Z's do so more than any other generation at three times a month. The research was commissioned by Bluecrest and found the majority turn to search engines for insights (77 per cent), followed by medical websites and AI platforms (15 per cent). As a result, 56 per cent have self-diagnosed themselves with an illness - and 33 per cent of those who have done so were incorrect with their diagnosis. They only found out they'd falsely detected something when they received correct test results (38 per cent), spoke to a professional at their local surgery (38 per cent) or visited hospital (34 per cent). 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. Life-saving NHS health checks to spot killer diseases will be carried out at work '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 research also found reasons for initially searching online include to get a quicker answer (51 per cent), peace of mind (43 per cent) and to find out what the next symptoms might be (22 per cent). Despite this, 34 per cent believe searching online when feeling unwell often tells you the worst news and 40 per cent said it can cause more issues in the long run. And 38 per cent admitted while it's quick and easy to self-diagnose it's often incorrect. A fifth have sought professional help after being alarmed by online results, but on average people wait six days before speaking to a medic. The OnePoll stats also revealed lack of knowledge around health and wellbeing, including 20 per cent not knowing the recommended daily fruit and veg portion number is five. A further 61 per cent aren't aware the advised amount of physical activity adults should aim for a week is 150 minutes and half don't know the healthy range for BMI – which is between 18.5-24.9. 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.'
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
From cancer warning signs to heart disease risk factors – online quiz reveals how clued up you are on all things health
ARE you clued up on general health and wellbeing knowledge - knowing how much fruit and veg you should eat a day and the amount of exercise you should aim for each week? An online tool can help you find out your Health IQ number and how you compare to the rest of the nation. 2 Questions delve into nutrition and diet, chronic conditions and preventative health, resulting in suggested ways to take a more proactive approach to your health - have a go at the quiz here. It comes as a poll of 2,000 adults found they will diagnose themselves with 1,202 illnesses and ailments over the course of their lifetime by turning to 'Dr Google '. The first thing 14 per cent do when they start feeling unwell is search their symptoms online, rather than going to a pharmacy, making a GP appointment or visiting a walk-in centre. Individuals typically do this twice a month, but Gen-Z 's do so more than any other generation at three times a month. The research was commissioned by Bluecrest and found the majority turn to search engines for insights (77 per cent), followed by medical websites and AI platforms (15 per cent). As a result, 56 per cent have self-diagnosed themselves with an illness - and 33 per cent of those who have done so were incorrect with their diagnosis. They only found out they'd falsely detected something when they received correct test results (38 per cent), spoke to a professional at their local surgery (38 per cent) or visited hospital (34 per cent). 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. Life-saving NHS health checks to spot killer diseases will be carried out at work '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 research also found reasons for initially searching online include to get a quicker answer (51 per cent), peace of mind (43 per cent) and to find out what the next symptoms might be (22 per cent). Despite this, 34 per cent believe searching online when feeling unwell often tells you the worst news and 40 per cent said it can cause more issues in the long run. And 38 per cent admitted while it's quick and easy to self-diagnose it's often incorrect. A fifth have sought professional help after being alarmed by online results, but on average people wait six days before speaking to a medic. The OnePoll stats also revealed lack of knowledge around health and wellbeing, including 20 per cent not knowing the recommended daily fruit and veg portion number is five. A further 61 per cent aren't aware the advised amount of physical activity adults should aim for a week is 150 minutes and half don't know the healthy range for BMI – which is between 18.5-24.9. 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.'
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
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.'
North Wales Live
30-04-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
One in 10 Brits risk health by self-diagnosing online, study reveals
A recent study has revealed that one in ten adults often resort to the internet to look up their symptoms when they're feeling unwell, rather than seeking advice from a pharmacist or GP. The survey, which involved 2,000 adults, discovered that Brits will attempt to self-diagnose themselves with an astonishing 1,202 illnesses and ailments throughout their lives using online resources. This behaviour typically happens twice a month, although younger adults are more prone to it, self-diagnosing approximately three times a month. The research by Bluecrest showed that most adults depend on search engines for health information, while 15 per cent utilise medical websites and AI platforms. As a result, over half of those polled have self-diagnosed themselves with an illness, but 33 per cent found out their diagnoses were incorrect, with many Brits only finding this out when they received test results (38 per cent), consulted with a healthcare professional (38 per cent), or visited a hospital (34 per cent). Dr Martin Thornton, chief medical officer at Bluecrest, cautions against relying solely on online sources for health information and emphasises the importance of obtaining expert advice. He says: "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. We shouldn't solely accept what we read online, particularly when the source isn't backed up by reliable, expert-led research." Dr Martin commented: "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 research also showed that people turn to the internet for immediate answers, reassurance, and to anticipate future symptoms. However, 34 per cent think that looking up health concerns online usually results in the most alarming news, while 40 per cent feel it can lead to further complications down the line. One in five have sought professional advice after being frightened by what they found online, yet on average, individuals wait six days before consulting a healthcare 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."
