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Washington: Feeling edgy or upset for no apparent
reason, you Google your symptoms. It turns out to be nothing
serious and your fears are unfounded. More than 60 percent of
Americans get their health information online, and a majority of
those decide whether to see a doctor based on what they find, a
study reveals.
"Wow, this is an era of self-diagnosis," thought Arizona State
University psychologist Virginia Kwan, learning that statistic.
How might information accessed online affect individual health
decisions?
Kwan and colleagues found that the way information is
presented-specifically, the order in which symptoms are
listed-makes a significant difference, the journal Psychological
Science reported.
"People irrationally infer more meanings from a 'streak'"- an
uninterrupted series whether of high rolls of the dice or disease
symptoms of consecutively reported symptoms. If they check off
more symptoms in a row, the research found, "they perceive a
higher personal risk of having that illness," said Kwan, according
to a university statement.
The findings could prove useful for public health education, Kwan
said: "With certain types of illnesses, people tend to seek
medical attention at the latest stage."
Meanwhile, "People also go to doctors asking all the time about
illnesses that are very rare," added Kwan.
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