Latest news with #Primeau
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
This doctor says one-third of her patients self-diagnose using online research. She and others are warning of the risks
For every three patients who come to her psychiatry clinic in North Bay, Ont., Valérie Primeau estimates at least one will say they have researched online and determined they have a mental disorder. The psychiatrist said it's particularly common with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 'I haven't been diagnosed yet,' Primeau recalled patients telling her, 'but I know I have it.' Interactions like these are increasingly playing out in doctor offices across the province as more people use the internet — especially social media — for medical advice, Primeau and other medical professionals said Wednesday at a virtual media briefing by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). The briefing was aimed at highlighting the risks associated with do-it-yourself medicine — warning any form of self-diagnosis comes with risks. According to a survey from the Canadian Medical Association from January, 62 per cent of Canadians reported seeing health information online before later learning it was misleading or false. That same survey found that 23 per cent of people said they'd experienced negative health reactions after following misleading information found online. 'Doctors recognize the complex circumstances that make do-it-yourself treatments appealing,' said Zainab Abdurrahman, OMA president and a clinical immunologist, during Wednesday's briefing. These reasons for seeking answers online could stem from a lack of trust between a would-be patient and medical professionals or not having access to a family doctor, Abdurrahman and other medical professionals at the briefing explained. 'But we assure patients that experts are here to help,' Abdurrahman said. Most of the misleading health information these days comes from social media, experts at the briefing said. Alyse Goldberg, an endocrinologist in Toronto, said she's seen some posts related to endocrine disorders pop up on her social media feeds after talking with her patients, highlighting how prevalent these posts can be. 'I'm not necessarily even searching for it,' she said. Experts who spoke at the briefing said that people's use of the internet to learn more about what others might be experiencing can be somewhat helpful, but encouraged those who do to always bring up their concerns with a medical professional. They stressed that medical professionals avoid judging their patients whenever social media posts come up in appointments. 'The problem which I try to avoid is the perception that we somehow know more or that there is an air of superiority,' said David D'Souza, a professor and radiation oncologist at Western University. For those who don't have a family doctor, people can also find reliable information online from health associations or by visiting a walk-in clinic. 'There are lots of avenues to still reach doctors to talk about this, even if you don't have a regular doctor,' Abdurrahman said.
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
AI tools and doctor shortage leading to rise in DIY diagnosis, Ontario docs say
TORONTO - The advent of AI and a lack of access to primary care are feeding a rising trend in people trying to diagnose and treat themselves online, doctors say. In an online media briefing hosted by the Ontario Medical Association on Wednesday, an endocrinologist, a cancer specialist and a psychiatrist all noted misinformation they frequently see online in their respective fields. The risks of DIY diagnosis include trying remedies posted on social media that are unsafe, delaying seeking legitimate medical treatment and being financially exploited by paying for things that don't work, they said. 'I foresee it continuing to happen more and more, especially with AI technology getting more and more available and more and more sophisticated,' said Dr. Valerie Primeau, a psychiatrist in North Bay, Ont. 'I have patients now that talk to ChatGPT to get advice.' Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, a clinical immunologist and president of the OMA, said the fact that so many people don't have a family doctor leaves a void in places where patients can get trustworthy health information — so many turn to online and AI sources. 'One of the places where you have a lot of trust because you've had a long relationship is your family doctor. And that's something that you can feel comfortable to bounce some of these ideas by,' Abdurrahman said. 'When you don't have that, you're often feeling like you're going to all these other sources and you're not able to necessarily check the credibility for these resources.' Primeau said difficulty in accessing mental health care is another factor that drives people online and into potentially risky situations. 'The first concern obviously is misdiagnosis,' she said. 'When studies have looked at videos on social media, a lot of them are overly generalized, meaning they don't necessarily target a particular disorder, even though they say they do. They may portray inaccurately certain illnesses or provide misleading information.' That in turn can lead to dangerous attempts to self-treat, Primeau said. 'Some patients, for example, have reported to me trying a medication from a friend, a family member, because they believe they suffered from the same illness, and it's led to side effects.' Primeau said one of the most common trends she's seen is online tests that claim they can diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. 'If I ask everybody online today, 'have you ever been distracted or had trouble with organization or answering all your emails?' I think most people are going to say yes,' she said. 'There is a rising trend to self-diagnose with it because we recognize ourselves in the videos that are played about ADHD because in general, society is struggling with inattention.' True ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, Primeau said, and can be traced back to childhood. Some mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, are more likely to be correctly self-diagnosed by taking online tests, but should still be confirmed by a professional, she said. Other conditions are especially prone to being diagnosed incorrectly, including bipolar disorder, Primeau said. But going online to do mental health research is 'not all negative,' she said, noting that watching videos or listening to people talking about their illness and identifying with them can prompt patients to seek care for themselves. Social media groups can also offer peer support, she said. Primeau encourages patients to share what they find online with their health-care provider. 'Patients want to feel that they have a say in the decisions that you make with them,' she said. 'When they come (to) me with already some opinion about what they might be suffering from or their treatment, first of all, I take the information.' If the patient's research doesn't align with her professional diagnosis, Primeau has an open discussion with them and shows them evidence about why she came to that conclusion. If people don't have a family doctor, Abdurrahman of the OMA said other ways to access credible health knowledge include going to a walk-in clinic or checking the websites of established medical institutions and associations — but emphasized the need to solve the primary care shortage as a better solution. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Ottawa Citizen
09-07-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Ontario doctors alarmed by the rise of 'DIY medicine'
Article content Patients are increasingly diagnosing and even treating themselves based on online advice, a trend that is raising alarm bells among Ontario doctors. Article content The Ontario Medical Association held a briefing this week to warn about the rise of so-called DIY medicine, something doctors say is causing harm to patients and is likely to get worse. Article content Article content Earlier this year, the Canadian Medical Association reported results of a media survey that found more Canadians are turning to social media for medical advice at a time when many are struggling to access health care. Article content Article content The survey found that 62 per cent of Canadians have encountered health information they later found to be false or misleading – up eight per cent from a year earlier. Twenty three per cent of those surveyed reported having a negative health reaction after following online health advice. Article content 'In my experience, one patient out of three will bring up some form of self-diagnosis,' said Dr. Valerie Primeau, a psychiatrist from North Bay who leads inpatient and community programs for mental health and addictions. Article content Among common self-diagnoses is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, something that is a rising focus of social media posts. Article content Article content Primeau and other physicians taking part in the briefing acknowledged there are many reasons patients are increasingly looking to the internet for answers to their health questions – a lack of access to medical care and the growing reliance on the internet among them. Article content Article content She encourages her patients to talk to her about what they have read and seen. Article content 'It can provide validation and a sense of community. It is important to take it into account if a patient brings it to your office, but I never encourage anyone to self-diagnose.' Article content Dr. David D'Souza a radiation oncologist in London who leads clinical research into image-based treatments for cancer, said information and misinformation patients found online is a routine part of his practice. Article content He has treated patients whose health suffered because of their reliance on information they saw on the internet, he said. Article content One patient who had been diagnosed with cervical cancer declined conventional treatment because she wanted to pursue other remedies she had learned about through the internet, he said. Two years later, he saw her again and her disease had spread. 'Our ability to control it and give her a good outcome was severely compromised.'
Vancouver Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Canadiens trade Cayden Primeau to Hurricanes
On the eve of free agency, and despite tendering an offer sheet to retain the restricted free agent, the Canadiens traded goaltender Cayden Primeau Monday to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 'Cayden is just 25 and coming off his best AHL season. He adds seasoned depth to our organization at the goaltending position,' Carolina General Manager Eric Tulsky said in a team statement. Selected in the seventh round (199th overall) in 2017, Primeau was 2-3-1 with the Canadiens this season over 11 games with a 4.70 GAA and .836 save percentage. In what might have been his final appearance on Dec. 12, he allowed three goals on seven shots in relief of Samuel Montembeault during a 9-2 Bell Centre loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. He finished the season with the Laval Rocket as the Canadiens went with Jakub Dobes as Samuel Montembeault's backup. Primeau was inconsistent in the playoffs for the Rocket, with a 3.27 average and .878 save percentage over eight games. While he shut out Rochester in the deciding game of the North Division final, he was exposed by Charlotte in the next round, allowing 12 goals over portions of three games. He was being pulled in two of them for backup Jacob Fowler, who started Game 4. Stu Cowan of The Gazette contributed to this report.
Montreal Gazette
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Canadiens trade Cayden Primeau to Hurricanes
Montreal Canadiens On the eve of free agency, and despite tendering an offer sheet to retain the restricted free agent, the Canadiens traded goaltender Cayden Primeau Monday to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 'Cayden is just 25 and coming off his best AHL season. He adds seasoned depth to our organization at the goaltending position,' Carolina General Manager Eric Tulsky said in a team statement. Selected in the seventh round (199th overall) in 2017, Primeau was 2-3-1 with the Canadiens this season over 11 games with a 4.70 GAA and .836 save percentage. In what might have been his final appearance on Dec. 12, he allowed three goals on seven shots in relief of Samuel Montembeault during a 9-2 Bell Centre loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished the season with the Laval Rocket as the Canadiens went with Jakub Dobes as Samuel Montembeault's backup. Primeau was inconsistent in the playoffs for the Rocket, with a 3.27 average and .878 save percentage over eight games. While he shut out Rochester in the deciding game of the North Division final, he was exposed by Charlotte in the next round, allowing 12 goals over portions of three games. He was being pulled in two of them for backup Jacob Fowler, who started Game 4. This story was originally published June 30, 2025 at 7:53 PM.
