Warning issued over internet health advice
18 October 2004
Researchers have warned that consumers should rely on their doctor rather the internet for health advice.
A study conducted by a team from University College London found that interactive computer tools do improve medical knowledge, but there was no evidence they change behaviour positively.
The report claims that many people with chronic disease would be in a better condition if they had simply listened to their doctor's advice and some people were left in worse health after consulting the internet.
The UCL team reviewed the effect of interactive web on 4.042 people with long-term conditions such as diabetes and asthma.
Lead researcher Dr Elizabeth Murray suggested that titbits of information may lull users into a false sense of security, leaving them less motivated to control their condition.
Alternatively, users may become so steeped in information that they make treatment choices on their own, contradicting advice from their doctors.
The researchers say more work is needed to fully understand the negative effect of interactive health applications on clinical outcomes.
The review appears in the Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research.
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