This is a natural reflex for many Internet users. Faced with an unexpected health glitch, and before going to see a doctor, many turn to Google for more information. The online portal Statista has recently published an infographic that measures the extent of this phenomenon on the European continent.
The French are fond of medical information
This analysis is based on barometer data provided by Eurostat. It tells us about the share of people who have searched for information about their health on Google in the last three months. As far as France is concerned, 51% of respondents answered yes to this question. A figure to be put into perspective with the 36% obtained in 2011 by asking the same question.
The French level differs from that of its neighbors who, on the contrary, obtain even higher scores. This is the case of Finland (81%), the Netherlands (78%), Denmark (71%), Spain (65%), and even Greece (57%). Germany is an exception with only 37% of respondents indicating that they have searched for information on Google, compared to 54% in 2011.
This survey tallies with information also provided by Eurostat last April. It was then noted that 55% of French people aged 16 to 74 had consulted the search engine to obtain medical information.
Of course, it makes perfect sense to want to know more when suffering from symptoms. Especially since it is not always easy to get a medical appointment quickly, and many French people simply do not have a doctor at their disposal.
Beware of false medical information
However, health-related information should be taken with a grain of salt. We know that misinformation remains a major problem. At the start of the Covid pandemic, many fake remedies were sold as miracle solutions to the virus, before it was discovered that they had no effect on the disease, and that they could, in some cases prove to be dangerous for patients.
Faced with the risks, the web giants have been forced to review their copy. This is particularly the case for YouTube, which has decided to add information panels around all the videos dealing with the Covid. Users were then invited to learn about progress related to vaccination and directed to sources of official organizations deemed reliable.
For your part, have you also got into the habit of searching for medical information on Google? Tell us in the comments.
