Online Health Information

Increasingly, people are getting their health information not from their doctors, but from magazines, TV or the Internet. Some of the information is reliable and up to date; some is not. How can you tell the good from the bad?

Facts about Health - Lingo.

What is Evidence-Based Medicine?

• "...the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. ... [It] means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research." Sackett 1996

What do you mean by "Scientific"

• Scientific, in this case, means both proven, and non-biased. Think about if you are being encouraged to buy a certain product or service? Many of companies sometimes include false scientific claims in order to encourage you to purchase their product.

What is Health Literacy

• Health literacy is not your ability to read, or understand in a normal setting
• It is specific to a person's ability to read, understand, communicate and use information related to health.

Facts about the internet

• Nobody is in charge.
• There are no rules or regulations
• No professional qualifications are necessary
• People lie.
• Personal experience is very different than evidence-based.
• You can't (always) trust statistics.

Untitled Slide

• .gov identifies a U.S. government agency
• .com identifies commercial websites
• .org usually identifies nonprofit organizations
• .edu identifies education websites, like a university
• .ca means the website is Canadian

ABC's of information:
Accuracy
Authority
Bias
Comprehension
Currency

First, consider the source:
Is it from the government? A university, health organization, hospital, business, personal website?

Look for an Author. Does the author have credentials? Google the author to see if they are who they say they are. Is there a review process for posting on the website?

Look for a published date. You want something current, and ideally updated.

Is your privacy protected? Is there a privacy policy? Do they ask you for personal information?

Is there a clear way to reach the sponsor - About us, contact us?

The Health On the Net Foundation has elaborated the Code of Conduct to help standardize the reliability of medical and health information available on the Internet.

Good rules of thumb

• Don't search the entire internet. Choose 3-5 sites and stop.
• Evaluate for content - constantly.
• Make sure information is less than 3 years old
• Look for credentials

Be skeptical. Things that sound too good to be true often are. You want current, unbiased information based on research.

Guiding Principles

• Government Websites are a good place to start
• Use the Rule of 3
• Large Professional bodies are also good
• Hospital websites are also a good thing to use.

Good Websites

• Mayo Clinic
• Cleveland Clinic
• Drugs.com
• National Institute of Health
• Medline Plus
• Patients like me

How do you solve a problem like Wikipedia?

Warnings

• Watch out for Dr. Oz & other predatory Doctors. They may be experts in their field, but they aren't in every field.
• Be cautious when someone is trying to sell you something - anything.
• Be Aware that personal experiences are just that - personal.

Remember

• Natural doesn't mean healthy.
• The same treatment can work differently for everyone
• Big words are just that - Big Words. They don't mean there is proof.
• Think before you act.
• Don't just look for information that agrees with what you think.

How to talk to your doctor

First, ask yourself about a new Cure:

• Where was this cure tested? People? Animals? In a lab?
• How many people like you was it tested on?
• Was it done in a double blind randomized control trial?
• Are the reports in line with things you have heard before, in other places.
• Does it cure you? Miraculously?

Remember:

• Be Honest. Really.
• Tell them Everything.
• Print off the website you have questions about, with questions.
• Ask more than one Health Care Professional.

Write down questions, and ask them.

Bring someone with you.

Take notes - this will help you with questions next time.

Learn about your medical records - ask for them if you want.

Don't ever be embarrassed.

Don't assume the doctor, pharmacist or nurse remembers anything (but I promise they try!)

In conclusion...

You might have to talk to different people. Pharmacists & Nurses are great resources.

Please do not ask a librarian.

Despite everything, don't be scared to look, and try.

Don't be afraid to walk away, and then come back.

Questions?