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Wondering How to Make Sense Out of Health Information on the Internet?

A recent study found that 80% of all Internet users have looked for health information online. I know that I have.

 

As a researcher, I find the Internet to be an invaluable tool to research a health-related question - perhaps a medical symptom, treatment or even diet or exercise tips. Everyone has the same access to the most up-to-date, ground-breaking information. If you know where to look, you can find almost anything. But, sometimes the vast amount of information available on the Internet can be overwhelming. If you search the word diet, for example, you will receive links to 378 million sites. How do you distinguish between those sites that contain reputable information and those that do not? Here are a few ideas you may find helpful.

 

 

  • Be aware of who is writing the information. I have come across sites that promise a “miracle cure” but you have to buy a book to get the information. If there were such a miracle cure, then it would be reported on many reputable sites and you wouldn’t have to pay for the information.
  • While social media, such as Facebook, can be a great way to get opinions from other people, use it as one part of your research strategy. Get information from a number of sources. The greater consistency you find, the more you will trust all the various sites.
  • Check the date on the site. This can usually be found at the bottom of the page or as part of the copyright information. Some pages on the Internet can be several years old, giving you out-of-date information.
  • Two sites with reputable consumer-friendly information are sponsored by the government (.gov): www.healthfinder.gov and www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus. You can read more about evaluating health information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html.


Looking for health information is the third most popular online activity. It is clear that this trend will continue to increase. When using online information, trust your common sense. Unfortunately, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. However, if you bring a healthy dose of skepticism when doing online research, you can find very useful and reliable health information.
 

 

by LindaGotthelf on 11/16/2011 | Share Story With a Friend

tags: motivation, nutrition

About the Author

Linda Gotthelf

Linda is the Director of Research and has a Ph.D in Psychology specializing in behavioral medicine. She is a founding member of HMR, starting as a health educator and working in several roles since 1984 and has been a co-author on many professional articles.

Comments (6) Post a comment
Nothing makes me cringe more than when of my patients says "I was reading on the internet...." I spend a good deal of time debunking myths, fads, and plain old lies that are easliy discovered at the click of a button. I am a huge supporter of doing your research, but there is quite a bit of junk to weed through to get to the correct information. These are great tips and I will gladly pass these along to my computer-savy and research-oriented patients!
by RunninRN on 11/29/2011
Great information. I'm sending this to some family members.
by KeithVanGasken on 11/17/2011
Good information. Thank you Linda.
by BrendaB on 11/16/2011
Another great way to evaluate any site is to read how the site presents themselves in "about". Reputable sites share how they evaluate information and who their experts are when they need to seek advice
by ChristineWeithman on 11/16/2011
Great article Linda. In today's "Internet Age", so many people think that if it is on the Internet it must be true. Thanks for the advice.
by ivandrago on 11/16/2011
Very much agree with your comments. Thanks for the recommendations on reputable sites for information! I'll bookmark these for the future.
by DesireeRogers on 11/16/2011