A recent study has revealed that one in ten adults turn to the internet to self-diagnose when they start feeling unwell, rather than visiting a pharmacy or booking an appointment with their GP. This comes as a survey of 2,000 adults discovered that over their lifetime, they will diagnose themselves with 1,202 illnesses and ailments by using Google. On average, individuals do this twice a month, but Gen-Z’s are the most frequent users, doing so three times a month.
The research, commissioned by Bluecrest, found that 77% of people use search engines for health insights, followed by medical websites and AI platforms (15%). Consequently, 56% have self-diagnosed an illness – and of those, 33% were incorrect with their diagnosis. These misdiagnoses were only corrected when they received accurate test results (38%), consulted a professional at their local surgery (38%) or visited a hospital (34%).
Dr Martin Thornton, chief medical officer at Bluecrest said: “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.”
Bluecrest have created a quiz to test your basic knowledge on how to keep health, in an effort to encourage Brits to take more proactive steps to understand their bodies better.
Dr Martin stated: “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.”
Use this tool to determine your Health IQ score and see how you stack up against the rest of the country.
The study also revealed that reasons for initially searching online include seeking a quicker answer (51%), peace of mind (43%) and to anticipate the next symptoms (22%).
However, 34% believe that online searches when feeling unwell often yield the worst news, while 40% said it can lead to more problems in the long run. Additionally, 38% confessed that while self-diagnosis is quick and easy, 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.”
