> researchers published eight million new health citations—a 47% increase in all published health knowledge. So why hasn't any of this innovation made online health information even slightly better?
Because the vast majority of this research does not change the current "standard of care" for most health issues that anyone is likely to experience.
Trying to be your own doctor by reading websites is stupid. Doctors go to school for 8 years and many do years more eductation and practial training in a specialty. You are not going to outsmart them by spending 10 minutes reading an article on a website.
If you are sick, see a doctor. If you are not sick, get an annual checkup if it makes you worry less. This isn't so complicated.
Your last paragraph alludes to the gap in MDs, their strength is is in identifying and treating acute conditions that require surface level knowledge of everything.
You will absolutely “outsmart”(ie consistently get better advice) if you are able to find a community of people living with your condition. You will get incredibly in depth reviews of medications, long term results of interventions, management strategies, incredibly updated research analysis.
Anyone who says just to go the doctor if you’re sick has never experienced the hellscape that is chronic conditions.
The line between “we know exactly what is wrong with you and have 6 different treatment options” and getting diagnosed with “something-is-wrong-itis” is paper thin.
No one is more obsessed with their disease then someone suffering from it 24/7.
Fair point, but a long-term involvement with a "community of people living with X" is far different from reading WebMD's article on X.
Just don't expect miracles. Many chronic diseases are poorly understood and don't have effective treatments. Wishful thinking from a support group doesn't change that, and all the website researc in the world won't change that either.
My mom had ALS, we went to local support groups, and it was an utter waste of time, other than having other people to commiserate with.
Because the vast majority of this research does not change the current "standard of care" for most health issues that anyone is likely to experience.
Trying to be your own doctor by reading websites is stupid. Doctors go to school for 8 years and many do years more eductation and practial training in a specialty. You are not going to outsmart them by spending 10 minutes reading an article on a website.
If you are sick, see a doctor. If you are not sick, get an annual checkup if it makes you worry less. This isn't so complicated.