By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    preventing from sickness
    The 4 Steps To Take If You Get Sick While Living As An Expat
    August 25, 2024
    workout recovery
    From Fatigue to Fuel: Recovery Hacks for Faster Results
    December 24, 2024
    Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Image
    Caregivers, Don’t Forget to Wash Your Hands, It Saves Lives
    February 10, 2013
    Misconception – Healthcare Reform Will Impact Medical Science
    March 8, 2012
    Image
    What To Do About Heroin and Oxycontin
    April 26, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Information Quality…
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > Health Information Quality…
Social Media

Health Information Quality…

HowardLuks
HowardLuks
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

…and your ability to interpret and apply it.

 

Contents
  • …and your ability to interpret and apply it.
  • …and your ability to interpret and apply it.

Bryan Vartabedian, MD‘s post today is quite relevant to those of us who frequently talk about the intersection of health care and social media.  His achnowledgment of the fact that 80% of patients search for health care information online is no longer news rings true for many.  We’ve known these facts for years thanks to the work of the Pew Internet Group and @SusannahFox.

…and your ability to interpret and apply it.

 

Bryan Vartabedian, MD‘s post today is quite relevant to those of us who frequently talk about the intersection of health care and social media.  His achnowledgment of the fact that 80% of patients search for health care information online is no longer news rings true for many.  We’ve known these facts for years thanks to the work of the Pew Internet Group and @SusannahFox.

More Read

Biz Stone, Co-Founder of Twitter is Keynote for #HIMSS12
Democracy Comes to Healthcare
Rise Of The Digital Doctor [Infographic]
Doctor Wes Speaks on on Doctor Privacy
How many self-employed research associates does it take to change a light bulb?

The real issue that patients face when searching for information online pertains to the :

  1. Quality of the information they are receiving.
  2. Health Literacy: Their ability to interpret and incorporate the content or information they are reading.

A simple google search on many medical conditions reveals the issue of quality.   Most of the top search results are commercially biased (at best), mis-leading and occasionally even harmful.

Many physicians, such as Wendy Sue Swanson , Ves Dimov and many many others are trying hard to change the quality of the information available online to patients and interested parties.  Val Jones has started a project called HealthyRT to call attention to the poor quality of health information available online, and allow a number of physicians (me included :-) ) to help vet information sources and hopefully give patients a place to start in their search for quality health information.  Along the same lines,  I have also started a page on my website called Social Health, Social Help for the same reason.

Health literacy is a huge issue.  ”*Even basic literacy is an issue we face in the world today. Health literacy varies by context and setting and is not necessarily related to years of education or general reading ability. A person who functions adequately at home or work may have marginal or inadequate literacy in a health care environment*”. According to the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Report, Literacy and Health Outcomes (January 2004) —low health literacy is linked to higher rates of hospitalization and higher use of expensive emergency services. This evidence-based literature review highlights numerous studies that provide a detailed analysis of the correlation between low health literacy and poor health.

Health literacy will NOT be an easy issue to deal with.

Physicians and other health care professionals need  to be cognizant of this issue and try their best to present the information or the content they develop or curate  in an *easy to read* manner which enables and/or empowers the individual trying to understand what all this information means .

 

TAGGED:social media
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
Social Media

Five Essential Moves to Transform Healthcare Marketing

April 2, 2013

Health Care Social Media – How to Engage Online Without Getting into Trouble (Part I)

January 4, 2012

Does Social Media Influence Rx Habits and Choices?

August 31, 2015
cancer patient speak out
eHealthSocial Media

The Benefit of Being a Vocal Cancer Patient

September 8, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?