Digital life · 10 min
Three questions for a health page
Who wrote it, when, and what do they want from you: three checks before you trust health information online.
When we are worried about a symptom or a diagnosis, the internet is full of answers, and they do not agree. Some are careful and current, some are out of date, and some are selling something. Three quick questions can help you tell the difference.
The steps
Four small steps,in your own time.
Who wrote it? Look for who is behind the page and whether they have relevant expertise, such as a national health service, a hospital, a university or a medical society. Be cautious with pages that do not say.
When was it written or reviewed? Health advice changes. Look for a date, and prefer pages reviewed in the last few years.
What do they want from you? Be wary of pages that sell a product, promise cures, or tell you to stop a treatment your doctor prescribed.
Write down what you read, with where it came from, and take your questions to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist rather than acting on a page alone.
The reason
Why it helps
Checking the source, the date and the motive takes a minute and screens out much of the unreliable information online. Bringing what you found to a professional turns worry into questions they can answer for your own situation.
A gentle variation
Start your search at your country's official health service website, or a large hospital or patient group. If searching is making you more anxious, give yourself a time limit and stop when it is up.
WE · TRIBE
Try itwith someone.
If someone you look after has found worrying information, look at it together using the three questions, without dismissing their concern. Then write down their questions for the next appointment.
Try it today
Next time you look up a health question, check who wrote the page and when, before you read the rest.
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