Sunday, April 22, 2012

Do you know where your Internet health information comes from?


The Internet is full of health information, including information about obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and other mental illnesses.
That’s a good thing. People can find out valuable information about a disorder that he or she or a loved one has been diagnosed with, and that information can augment the information their physicians and therapists are providing.
But as with all searches on the Internet, caution must be taken when relying on the Internet for health information.
For almost eight years, I worked as a public health educator. As a health educator, I conducted research and created materials to promote wellness in the community. I wrote educational materials, gave talks in the community and talked one-on-one with patients in clinics.
Many times, I had ready-made materials at hand, sometimes not.
I worked with a lot of people to make sure I had the right information to give out, including physicians, dentists, nurses and environmental health specialists.
I also learned how to use the Internet as a research tool.
When I was in graduate school, I learned how to conduct research. That goes along with any program that includes a thesis.
But back then, the Internet was in the very early stages of being used by librarians.
While I was a health educator, I learned what to consider when visiting different sites. I found a compilation of much of that advice on the website of the Medical Library Association:

Consider the source. MLA uses the following example to illustrate this: “There is a big difference between a site that says, ‘I developed this site after my heart attack’ and one that says, ‘This page on heart attack was developed by health professionals at the American Heart Association.’”
Focus on quality. Consider whether or not the site has an editorial board. Look for information on the editorial policy or review policy.
Be a cyberskeptic. Consider if the site makes claims that sound too good to be true. Consider if the site is the only source for the information.
Look for the evidence. Rely on medical research, not opinion.
Check for currency. Make sure the latest information is being provided. Look for the last time it was updated. Check for broken links.
Beware of bias. Find out who is funding the site. Make sure advertisements are labeled.
Protect your privacy. Look for the privacy policy of the site. Your health information should be confidential.
Consult with your health professional. Partnerships between the health professional and the patient lead to the best medical decisions.

A go-to source for me is MedlinePlus, a site provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This site leads me to information about a wide variety of health information, and it’s a place where I start many of my searches.
Today, I looked up obsessive-compulsive disorder on the site. The site provided me with links to organizations and agencies such as the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), one of the institutes within NIH; the American Academy of Family Physicians; the American Medical Association; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; International OCD Foundation and Anxiety Disorders Association of American.
It also had links to journal articles, organizations, directories and statistics.
There are many reliable, up-to-date resources on the Internet for health information, including mental health information. I hope these tips will help lead you in the right direction.

How much of your health information do you get from the Internet? What are your go-to websites, and why are they helpful to you?

17 comments:

  1. Great post! I get a lot of info from the net. I am, however, very careful of where I get it from. The International OC Foundation is a great source to start with. Believe it or not, I also read a lot of articles from scholarly, peer-reviewed, journals. Even so, some journals are more respected than others, so care needs to be taken even with these. (These journal articles were tremendously helpful to me when my husband was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.)

    I also look for well respected names in the field of anxiety treatment (or whatever medical field I'm researching). Then, if I see their name associated with a book or an organization, it gives me an idea of the quality of the info. Of course, I still read everything with a discerning eye. Because I've read so much on OCD and anxiety over the years, I feel like I have a decent handle on what the best current treatment is. Of course, this is always updating and changing!

    Lastly, there are also teaching hospitals that are well respected for the quality of their research. Those are other sources that I look at.

    I find these websites are helpful because I get kept up to date with the newest, most effective, and scientifically backed treatment. I'm definitely not interested in wasting my time with treatment that is not proven effective and backed by good scientific research. My time and money are too limited! Plus, who wants to suffer longer than they have to, right?

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    1. Sunny, Yes, there's lots of helpful information online, but as you put it so well, we have to read it with a discerning eye. I like the way you describe your careful navigation through all that's on the Web. Thank you for your insight!

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  2. I try not to use the internet too often for health stuff, because it can really make you neurotic! Plus, yes, you never know where the information is coming from.

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    1. Lisa, I have to watch myself, too. I try not to do this, but sometimes I do anyway--look up symptoms I have and try to figure out if something is wrong. That is such a bad idea! I end up thinking I have all kinds of things wrong with me. If I think I'm sick, I should go to the doctor! :-)

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  3. I try to refrain from ever looking up health-related information on the internet because I have hypochondria and I end up convinving myself that I have something :-)

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    1. OE and Elizabeth--That is so easy for me to do too! The Internet should be a tool, not a diagnosis machine! :-)

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  4. I applaud this post! I work in a college library and we try to teach these principles to our students.

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    1. Thank you, Elizabeth. Librarians are wonderful resources!

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  5. You should submit this post to women's magazine's or newspaper- beautifully written Tina. I know so many people (including myself) that need to know this information. My elderly in laws, for example, will read things written by "anybody's name here" and repeat the info like the Mayo Clinic gave it to them.
    I went to my doctor one time and when I mentioned the internet he rolled his eyes, laughed and said the internet is a beautiful thing but also has made lots of folks into amateur doctors ..which in turn made me laugh, because I can look up any disease and have some of the symptoms so I need to leave the diagnostics to somebody with the M.D. behind his/her name.
    I am going to go check out your guest blog now..I am a checker so I look forward to reading it.

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    1. Thanks, Krystal. Yes, I know some people who repeat what they read anywhere on the Web--even on FB--like it's the gospel. That can be dangerous when it comes to our health.

      Thank you for your kind words and support!

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  6. This is an amazing post. I have many, many sources, both offline and online, for medical and health issues. The internet is so full of very official-looking information from sources which appear very authentic. I've been amazed at some of the misinformation I've come across. It's frightening, really, how well-meaning people could be misled. So much is copied and pasted from site to site. I feel like the net is a big cess pool of regurgitated information and junk.

    Anyhow, I'm obviously preaching to the choir ;) Great post.

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    1. I like that description--"a big cess pool of regurgitated information and junk"--sometimes it seems that way! I've found the wrong info reposted too. It reminds me to "tread carefully" through the mess. Thanks for your comment!

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  7. Great post, Tina. You can't believe everything you read, that's for sure, and you give wonderful tips for sifting through the vast amount of info on the Internet. Thanks!

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    1. Thanks, Janet. There's so much info out there. Sometimes it's rather scary. I guess that's why I love it when I find a reliable source.

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  8. 100% of my health information comes from the internet. If I'm sick, I check my symptoms by typing them into Google. From there, I will research until I believe I've found a credible source (I.E. A literary journal, medical document, etc.) and that's usually the end of it.

    I HATE going to the doctor (MAJOR anxiety inducer) so I will avoid it at all costs. I'm also not very fond of medication because I'm terrified that something will get mixed up and I'll become the next Michael Jackson or Brittany Murphy. I know it's a silly fear but, hey! That's the voice of anxiety.

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    1. The Internet can be a helpful tool, and it sounds like you look for credible sources.

      I tend to not want to go to the doctor until I'm really sick, even when I'm having problems with asthma. I tend to think, oh, I'm not really that sick. Others are more sick than I am. Not a good way for me to think sometimes.

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