More than half of the patients make health consultations on the Internet

53.6% of patients seek health information on the Internet. This is confirmed by a study presented at the XXXIII Congress of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), recently held in Granada. The data from this study also reveals that of the 53.6% who search on the Internet, only 22.6% take into account what they find when making decisions about their health.

78% of those surveyed are aware that they should make a correct search and would like their family doctor to explain how to do so. This study is further proof of the importance of finding reliable health information and articles on the Internet. Specifically, information is sought on symptoms (67.9%), treatments and side effects (46.4%), nutrition (34.8%), alternative therapies (28.6%), prognosis and complications (27%).

Patient profile on the Internet

The profile of the patient who searches for health information on the Internet is a young person of 39 years of age with higher education, according to the study, which is entitled Health 2.0: Characteristics of the patient informed through the Internet and was carried out by the following authors: Gemma Rovira Marcelino, Beatriz Jiménez Muñoz, David Bottaro Parra, Diana Elizabeth Fernández Valverde, Rosa Monteserin Nadal, Gastón Ezequiel Vázquez Pirillo. The semFYC is the most important scientific society in Spain in the specialty of Family and Community Medicine with nearly 20,000 members.