Assessment of Diagnosis and Triage (study)

A study of 5000 predominantly white americans, shows that a patient’s internet search of a condition doesn’t really affect the overall triage or diagnostic accuracy.

Here’s some quotes from the article in JAMA:

Each day, millions of people worldwide who are confronted with new medical symptoms turn to the internet before seeking care to understand why they are ill, whether they should get care, and where they should get care.

Despite its ubiquitous use, the benefits and harms of an internet search for health information are poorly understood. Previous research has been largely limited to observational studies of internet search behavior and may lack a criterion standard.

As the case acuity became more serious, respondents reported more anxiety

Mean internet search time was 12.1 (95% CI, 10.7-13.5) minutes per case

Improved diagnostic accuracy was found (49.8% vs 54.0%; difference, 4.2% [95% CI, 3.1%-5.3%]; P < .001).