A misplaced little sore, a slightly dodgy pimple, a more aggressive cold than usual… Going to the doctor for so little is out of the question: our first instinct is to go online to seek advice.
The results of a recent study (commissioned by various institutions and carried out among 848 Internet users) show that the French are more and more treated via the Internet… 58% of those polled thus declared that they turned to discussion forums when they are sick and 49% even seek advice on Facebook!
Women are the most likely to turn to the Internet to solve their health concerns. Would we be more worried (or more concerned) than our male counterparts?
Diagnosing a disease on the internet
What the hell are we looking for on the web? Most of the time (77% of cases), it is to diagnose an illness that the French connect to the Internet. Otherwise, it is to draw advice on a treatment or a drug (51% of cases). Or else, it is to know the side effects of the latter that we surf the forums and social networks (43% of cases)…
But if the French are ready to entrust their anxieties to a search engine, 31% of respondents still admit a certain suspicion. Who tells us that our data will not be used by an insurer, an employer or even a pharmaceutical company? 43% of French people think that their data is analyzed for commercial purposes…
If some sites have been approved by the medical profession, others (and these are the most numerous) completely escape any verification. Also, if a discussion forum diagnoses you with meningitis, pregnancy or even cancer, don’t run to the pharmacy right away: take the time to consult a (real) health professional…
And you, do you ever go looking for health advice on the Internet? What do you think of this practice? We talk on the forum.
