"Dr. Google" is wrong
It is estimated that about 70,000 health-related search queries are entered into Google every minute. About 40% of Australians are looking for health information on the Internet for self-treatment.
Online diagnostic tools ask users to list the existing symptoms, and then provide possible diagnoses and recommendations on whether the user should see a doctor or a hospital.
During the study, the staff of Edith Cowan University (ECU) analyzed 36 international mobile and network applications and programs for checking symptoms, and it was found that they made the correct diagnosis in the first line of search results in only 36% of cases, and in the first three results – in 52% of cases. The study also showed that the recommendations provided on when and where to seek medical help were accurate in 49% of cases.
The authors write that the result of their work should make people think. Although it is very tempting to use tools for self-diagnosis online, in most cases the results are unreliable and can even be dangerous.
Editor's note: the subscript translation of this song and the original video with English subtitles can be found here.
The "cyberchondria" effect
Online symptom checking can give a false sense of security.
Each of us has at least once been a "cyberchondriac" and turned to the Internet for information with a slight indisposition or headache. But the reality is that these sites and applications should be treated very carefully, since they do not see the whole picture, do not know the medical history or other symptoms. A person who has insufficient knowledge about health may think that the advice they give is accurate.
When to see a doctor
The study showed that recommendations on sorting, that is, when and where to seek medical help, are more accurate than when diagnosing.
In urgent and emergency cases, recommendations were appropriate in about 60% of appeals, but in the case of banal situations, the proportion of correct advice decreased to 30-40%.
As a rule, triage recommendations are wrong because of excessive caution, which is good in some ways, but can lead to people going to the emergency department when they don't need it.
Balance
Online symptom checking systems can take place in a modern healthcare system. These sites are not a substitute for visiting a doctor, but they can be useful for providing additional information when there is already an official diagnosis.
In addition, symptom-checking apps are being used effectively in the current COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the UK National Health Service uses these tools to monitor symptoms and potential "hot spots" of localization of this disease at the national level.
Lack of quality control
Researchers point to the lack of government regulation and ensuring the reliability of data as the main problem associated with the quality of online symptom checking.
Article by M.G.Hill et al. The quality of diagnosis and triage advice provided by free online symptom checkers and apps in Australia is published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to ECU materials: New ECU research finds 'Dr Google' is almost always wrong.