Updated on March 29, 2023.
If you've got a nagging new symptom and want to learn more about it, where do you go to get your health information? Your healthcare provider (HCP)? Your best friend? Dr. Google?
If you answered "Dr. Google," you're not alone. The vast majority of us hop online for answers to our healthcare questions. Even HCPs will turn to the internet for a quick summary of medical information to brush up on facts or to share with their patients. In fact, a Google executive revealed in 2019 that the search engine fields more than 1 billion health-related searches every day—or about 70,000 every minute.
Though it never hurts to do some research, it's important to always consider the quality of the information you’re getting. Material you find online may be old, incomplete, or from questionable sources. If you wouldn't trust a stranger to treat your urinary tract infection, why would you trust an unverified site for your health education?
How to get reliable health information online
The internet can be a fantastic resource. But when it comes to information about your health, be sure to choose your sources wisely. Start by following these tips:
Go to the pros. Turn to sites that rely on trusted health professionals for their content. These would include medical centers such as the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic, universities such as Harvard Medical School, institutions like the American Cancer Society or the American Academy of Pediatrics, government authorites like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and companies with physicians and medical professionals reviewing their content. (Sharecare is one such site, of course.)
Begin your search online—but don’t end it there. Use the information that you find on the internet as a starting point to a discussion with your HCP, rather than the definitive answer to your question.
Check dates. Medicine moves fast, and information that was correct and up to date 10 years ago may be outdated this year. Whenever possible, look for dates, usually found toward the bottom of web pages. These might include dates of original publication, review, and/or update. Only consult sources published, updated, or reviewed within the last five years—and ideally within the previous two.
Don’t jump to conclusions. The internet is great for finding information about the rarest of illnesses. But think about what that information actually might mean for you. Consider the prevalence of the condition in context before convincing yourself that you're the fifth case in the entire world.
Be especially cautious about medication information. Searching the internet for drug dosages and side effects can be risky. When you're looking, use reliable, current sources and make sure that you're getting the full picture—which includes a discussion with your provider.
An educated patient is a healthier patient. Save yourself some time and aggravation by seeking out the most reliable sources—and ignoring the rest.
