KCB201: WK9 New Media, Health and Wellbeing

Amongst the plethora of uses the internet offers users it is not surprising that accessing health information is a rapidly growing sector. According to Lewis (2006), “there is no doubt that growing numbers of lay people throughout the world are accessing information about health online”. Personally I fall into this category. Often I will consult the internet for my own personal research regarding personal health concerns. Sometimes this may be to gauge more information about a condition after a doctors visit or possibly to investigate symptoms and potential causes. I agree that the availability of medical information online helps “facilitate a two-way, interactive relationship between patient and doctor” (Lewis 2006), and in my case this has improved my relationship with my GP. The major concerns that I hold with regards to the availability of this information in the online sphere is that some people will believe that their increased medical literacy via the web renders professional doctors unnecessary. The potentiality of a serious increase in the numbers of miss-diagnosis of medical conditions becomes a serious concern. Users will need to understand that the online world can be a positive supplement to the process of traditional health care but caution must be exercised when acting on medical information obtained from the internet and in turn deciphered by lay people.

References:

Lewis, T. 2006. Seeking health information on the internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria? Media, Culture and Society. 28 (4): 521–539.