The internet has become an essential tool for people seeking health information. In fact, a recent study found that 72% of Americans use the Internet to research health topics. This trend is likely to continue as more and more people turn to the internet for information about their health.
Category Archive: Health information online
In addition to health misinformation online, health seekers need to be warned about online telehealth organizations sharing their personal information. Cerebral has revealed it shared the private health information, including mental health assessments, of more than 3.1 million patients in the United States with advertisers and social media giants like Facebook, Google, and TikTok. That’s more than a “oops”
To gauge the level of health misinformation, all one has to do is go to LinkedIn. Numerous stories about “potential” new treatments lack context about their development. Now comes word that there may be gastric side effects from using the latest weight loss drugs. The media is using headlines to attract attention, but they aren’t doing their job to investigate an inform.
There is no doubt that the digital environment is going through a shakeout. Except for TikTok, social media use is declining, and even Amazon is finding out that technology can’t lead to more profits. The way people search for health information has plateaued, but Dr. Internet will still be the first place many people look for health information. Here are some things some DTC marketers should focus on.
I could argue that healthcare marketing has changed substantially because of health misinformation during the pandemic. DTC marketing has also changed. I see, via social media, more people challenging DTC ads on everything from insurance coverage to side effects. DTC marketers need to change how they market, but I’m sure it will happen.
More than 25 million people will use the internet to search for health information. Estimates vary regarding the number of medically related sites on the web, but they number at least 100 000. Only about half of these sites have their content reviewed by doctors. The biggest problem with obtaining health information from the internet is that it is not always easy to decide what is reliable.
The pandemic has led to a consistently high number of people looking for health information online. There are too many health news stories; however, they include the words “could” and “may.” These stories are based on preliminary studies that have a long journey to benefit patients.
TikTok is full of influencers showing off their stunning before-and-after shots and their weight loss after using the new class of weight loss drugs, but too many patients see this as a “quick fix” without the possible downsides.