Clued-up patients better for me says GP

By CHRIS DANIELS

Wellington GP Tessa Jones, who specialises in nutritional and environmental health and has a number of patients with chronic illness, uses the internet to research their conditions.

And she likes it when a patient turns up at the surgery armed with reams of downloaded information.

"It's always useful for me. The more information people have the better."

When asked about the risk of patients being sent on a wild-goose chase, or possibly being given dangerous, unproven health advice, Dr Jones is not overly worried.

"I have never really subscribed to the theory that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

"If you really think about it, that doesn't make much sense - we've all got only a little bit of knowledge.

"I give my opinion. That's another piece of information for the person."

And considering that people are now bombarded with television advertising for prescription drugs, Dr Jones says the internet at least provides more information than a 30-second commercial.

She has no doubt that she learns new things from patients bringing in information.

"I have learned about other doctors' ideas about things ...

"When someone brings me information, I go and check it out myself.

"I am not learning how to do it from the internet as much as seeing something that might be worth further investigation."

And while other, perhaps less technically savvy doctors may have a problem with patients taking charge and researching online, Dr Jones says it has been great both for her and her patients.

The issue of online health advice and its reliability was researched by the Pew Internet Project in the United States last year. It found that while professionals had concerns about the validity and safety of some online health information, it was fulfilling the needs of those hunting it down.

Pew findings include:

* Much of the health information available on the web is not monitored for accuracy or quality.

Government officials estimate that doctors review about half of the content on health and medical websites.

A 1999 survey of 400 health sites found that half had not been scientifically reviewed and 6 per cent provided incorrect information.

* The more educated the "health-seeker", the more likely he or she is to check the source of the information - 61 per cent with at least some tertiary education do, while only 46 per cent of those with high school education or less check thoroughly.

* While there is a high anxiety among internet users about health information online, 52 per cent of users who have used health sites think almost all or most health information they saw online is credible.

* Forty-four per cent of health-seekers believe only some of the online health information.

Just 1 per cent feel "almost none" of the information is credible.

* Younger health-seekers (under age 40) and those with less formal education are more likely to believe the information.

* Nearly half (48 per cent) say the advice they found on the web has improved the way they take care of themselves, and 55 per cent say internet access has improved the way they get medical and health information.

* Ninety-two per cent of health-seekers say the information they found during their last online search was useful; 81 per cent learned something new.

* Of those who sought health information for themselves during their last online search, 47 per cent say the material affected their decisions about treatments and care. Half say the information influenced the way they eat and exercise.

* Information about mental illness was sought by 26 per cent of health-seekers, and 16 per cent wanted to research a sensitive health subject that was "hard to talk about".