The growing concerns over the credibility of online medical resources revolve around several key issues: the widespread presence of misinformation and disinformation, lack of regulation and oversight, variability in information quality, and significant impacts on health decisions made by individuals. Misinformation includes false or misleading health information shared without harmful intent, while disinformation is false information shared deliberately to deceive. These issues are amplified on social media platforms, where unverified individuals can pose as medical experts, spreading potentially harmful content that can influence public health negatively, such as anti- vaccine misinformation.
Unlike traditional medical publications, many online medical resources lack rigorous peer review or regulatory control. This opens the door for anyone, regardless of expertise, to publish medical content, making it difficult for users to assess trustworthiness. The dynamic and mutable nature of online information further complicates reliability.
There is notable variability in quality among online medical information sources. Some originate from reputable organizations with qualified authors, while others come from individuals without medical credentials. Some sites mix authoritative material with commercial content, increasing the challenge users face when determining what is reliable. Wikipedia, a popular health information source, has been found to contain many inaccurate claims and is editable by anyone, further raising concerns.
The impact on health decisions can be severe, with patients making misinformed choices, self-diagnosing inaccurately, delaying treatment, or relying on unproven remedies. Such misinformation can also strain the patient-physician relationship when patients bring questionable online information to clinical consultations.
Several studies, including recent reviews, confirm that misinformation is prevalent in online peer support groups and general health sites. Some users do attempt to correct misinformation, but the "echo chamber effect" can reinforce it, especially for those with lower health literacy. There is a call for healthcare professionals to play a more active role in monitoring and improving the quality of online health information.
Strategies to evaluate credibility include checking for reputable sources such as government or academic institutions (.gov, .edu domains), verifying author credentials, cross-referencing information across multiple trusted sources, and avoiding sensationalist or exaggerated claims.
In summary, the credibility of online medical resources remains a major concern due to widespread misinformation, lack of regulation, and inconsistent quality, all of which can adversely influence public health decisions. Improving user education and involving healthcare professionals in quality assurance are critical steps forward.
