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Hand on heart: How many times have you reviewed your symptoms in case of complaints? More often? So you are in the trend. Polls show that more and more people are researching health information, looking for their symptoms, and comparing therapies. The new TV series on Swiss TV "Doctors Against the Internet" also shows how common this phenomenon has become: experienced doctors compete with laypeople with access to the Internet.
However, as is often the case, the curse and blessing are close: on the one hand, the abundance of information in the network removes the benefit knowledge of the medical profession that has existed for centuries. A positive development for mature patients, one could say. In fact, about half of survey respondents say that they can behave more confidently with their doctor when they arrive on the network, and one in three say they understand their medical condition better. doctor. "High quality information, accessible via the Internet, can promote communication," says Yvonne Gilli, herself a physician and head of the E-Health department of the Swiss Medical Association FMH.
Many lay people are overwhelmed
However, there is a trap: it is not easy to navigate the jungle of health information. The quality differences of the websites are great, but not easily recognizable to the laypersons. "The search engine does not select for quality and medical comprehensibility," says Gilli. "It therefore depends on the user, if he is able to rank the validity of an online search."
But many ordinary people are overwhelmed without above-average medical knowledge. Philipp Haeberli of the Swiss Foundation for Health Promotion says: "It is often impossible to objectively evaluate what information is reliable and useful – and what is not."
Number of people looking for tips feel uncomfortable after searching online. Beate Baier from the German city of Freiburg, for example, studied law and works in the credit department of a bank. When her daughter was only a few months old, she looked for information on vaccination. "I wanted to make sure that we made the right decision for our child, and in the end we did not remember who to believe: the opponents of the vaccination or the supporters." The mother finally trusted the pediatrician and vaccinate her daughter.
Hell for hypochondriacs
It is particularly difficult for anxious people to correctly classify health information. And for the hypochondriacs, today called "cyberchonders", the Internet is extremely disturbing. In the search term "headache", they automatically end up with brain cancer and hide harmless alternatives. For example, a hypochondrial person named "Hasenfuss" wrote in a hypochondriac forum: "I thought I had MS because I was suffering from sensory disturbances. During this time, I had skin cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, ALS, polyneuropathy, then colon cancer – with all the symptoms.When I write this, I have to smile, but it's hell. "
For doctors, the new behavior of the patient also means a change, and many complain of more and more time-consuming and costly counseling. "I understand that doctors are unhappy when they have to correct erroneous diagnoses on the Internet," says Klaus Koch of the Institute for Quality and Effectiveness of Healthcare in Cologne. "But that can not disappear, the younger generation will be more and more informed on the net, and doctors must be prepared."
Good information from the Internet can supplement a medical consultation, but not replace it.
The solution is obvious: understandable, well-balanced and scientifically sound information must be recognizable to those seeking guidance. "In the German-speaking countries, there is still no really effective help," Koch says. While there are certification attempts such as the seal of the independent Health on the Net Foundation (HON) or the "Afgis" logo, these seals do not guarantee the quality of the information. However, they offer transparency because readers always recognize the source and purpose of the information.
Google decides with
"Consumers need to know the seals and keep them in mind," says Koch. However, the experience shows that most people quickly abandon the quality criteria and rely on the top ten results of their search on Google, the most used search engine. "Google significantly decides what is visible on the Internet," says Koch. "The chosen keywords play a role, but the professionalism of commercial suppliers who, for professional reasons, ensure that their products reach a high rank," says FMH representative Gilli. In short: Among the top ten hits, not necessarily the best quality and the most reliable sites appear.
"I also see the state responsible for facilitating the search for good information for citizens," says Klaus Koch, who works for the German Ministry of Health on a concept of national health portal: "L & # The central idea is a central platform, powered by websites that meet certain standards of quality and are always adapted to the needs of users. "The German-speaking countries are lagging behind.
In Denmark, Great Britain or in the United States, such portals already exist.The benefit to users: You do not have to worry about the reliability of the information on these portals, do not ask yourself if someone One is interested in selling them a product or if the information is ideologically colored.In Switzerland too, a public portal was already under discussion. "However, it was decided in 2012, mainly for reasons of resources , to give it up for the moment, "says Daniel Dauwalder of the Federal Office of Public Health.
How doctors help patients
In the meantime, internet users can also sign up for a visit without a national health portal. Google advantage. But you can not avoid being aware of certain rules. Doctors can support their patients – for their own sake – by providing a list of recommended websites in the waiting room. Basically, however, good information from the Internet can supplement a medical consultation, but not replace it.
TV Tip: "Doctors Against the Internet" with Dr. med. med. Fabian Unteregger – the new diagnostic duel. Until the 13th of August every Monday 20h05, SRF 1. (Tages-Anzeiger)
Creation date: 15.07.2018, 18:30
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