Care when searching for health information on the internet – 06/12/2023 – Education

A recent survey by Datafolha indicates that Google is the most used tool in Brazil to search for health information: 47% of people interviewed at the end of 2022 declared using the search engine for this purpose. This number has grown in recent years, mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, we know that finding quality information on the internet is a challenge: according to a 2022 Poynter study, 62% of people believe they encounter misinformation on a daily or weekly basis.

Searching for health information online can help us better understand a diagnosis we receive or know how to act in an emergency until help is available. It can also help us organize queries and thus make appointments with doctors more focused and productive. But, before using this information, we need to learn how to qualify this search.

Anyone can post information on the internet, with diverse interests – whether or not they are an expert. And when we talk about health, the challenges are many: we can find popular beliefs, pseudoscience, content that mask commercial or ideological interests, incomplete information, out of context, alarmist or even dangerous.

Furthermore, search engine results are selected by computer software, not human experts. The most accessed result may not be the most reliable, and even your search history and web behavior may cause you to see incorrect or biased information.

Finally, it is important to remember that some websites may be sponsored by medical service professionals and companies and the pharmaceutical industry and therefore may not provide objective information. To complicate this scenario, we can also find “disguised” advertisements, usually in the form of posts or testimonials from influencers.

Some measures help us to obtain better information:

1. Identify the source of the information. “I found it on Google” is a common expression that contains a major misnomer. Google is not a source, that is, it is not an author, it is a search engine. The contents resulting from a search will have different intentions and characteristics and are not equally reliable or useful.

2. Assess the reliability of the source. Public authorities, health agencies, doctors and specialists are the best sources in the health area, with content based on scientific research; in second place are the reliable communication vehicles that contextualize this information.

3. Be more proactive in your search. Familiarize yourself with the search engine results page, looking to identify what is advertising and what is non-commercial content. According to Google, the appearance of this page undergoes constant adjustments as the company develops new ways to help the user quickly evaluate the content found and better understand the context of what they are seeing. Look at the results page and explore its functionality. At the top of the page, Google has recently started highlighting snippets from quality sources that are most relevant. Functions such as the “about this result” button and the side panel help you to know where the information comes from and even compare different sources

4. Identify sponsored content. Beware of medical information provided by organizations that have commercial interests: texts written to sell products or services are not medical advice. Be wary of easy cures and miraculous recipes.

5. Beware of personal reports. Beware of personal reports. Diseases can manifest themselves differently in everyone, and treatments differ. Online support groups and forums are a great way to share experiences, but should not be considered a trusted source.

6. look for a doctor! A Google search can be useful to learn more about a diagnosis or find initial advice in an emergency, but it should never replace a doctor.

In short, seeking information is always an attitude to be encouraged, but it is necessary to develop search skills; in the health area, especially, using incorrect information can cause serious problems. Do not limit your search to just one site and always check your sources, trying to understand if there are commercial interests or a political or ideological agenda behind it. And finally, always discuss what you find with a healthcare professional.