Source: CNN
A new study published in the journal JAMA found that people are looking to public forums and Internet groups for help with diagnosing STDs and treatment needed in those cases.
Doctors and health experts note that in a time when STD rates are soaring, this approach to health care is concerning and could even be misleading for need help.
The study found that on Reddit, where forums on topics of all kinds are the name of the game, at least 58 percent of those who post questions are asking for a diagnosis, and of those, 38 percent shared photos of their symptoms, which health experts are surprised to see is quite common since there is not guaranteed privacy in forums.
At least 90 percent of those have received quick replies with advice from the public.
Most concerning is that the study found that most of the responses are “wildly inaccurate” as reported by CNN, with suggestions going against what doctors would recommend. Furthermore, many had asked for the public’s opinion, despite visiting a doctor that had already diagnosed them.
Read Full Story: CNN