Microsoft Researchers Study "Cyberchondria"

Slatterz introduces us to the first major study on "cyberchondria" by Microsoft researchers (abstract, paper [PDF]). The news that it can be a bad idea to search the Internet to see if you have a terrible disease should come as no surprise. According to the NYTimes article, the syndrome has been known as "cyberchondria" since at least the year 2000 (we discussed it a few years back). It refers to increased anxiety brought on when people with little or no medical training go searching for answers to common medical complaints on the Web. The article compares cyberchondria with a phenomenon well known among second-year medical students, called "medical schoolitis." The researchers note that Web searchers' propensity to jump to awful conclusions is "basic human behavior that has been noted by research scientists for decades."

Even worse...

[Anonymous Coward]

Cyberchondria Wikia - A variant of Cyberchondria in which symptoms, causes and diseases change at random when suggested by other users

Oh No...

[routerl]

This means I've just found another condition I might have by browsing the internet! Damn you cyberchondria!

Conclusion...

[rodrigoandrade]

I haven't RTFA, per usual, but I'm sure the study concludes that it's a great idea to search the Internet to see if you have a terrible disease using Windows Live Search.

This spells trouble

[Anonymous Coward]

So you are color blind, you have a malformed chest and you cannibalize your own flesh... A rare combination indeed.

"Browser, browser..."

[gyrogeerloose]

"...it hurts when I go like this!

Re:It's not new, just easier

[Emperor Zombie]

My friend just got a horrible ear infection that resulted in extreme pain and puss coming out of her ear because the doctor misdiagnosed it as "swimmers ear"

I imagine that having a cat crawl out of one's ear would be quite painful.

Mirror, mirror...

[SrWebDeveloper]

So I looked up "Porn Addict" on WebMD, you know - to do research for a paper I'm writing - and got to a page there which included a brief Flash video of me behind my keyboard, typing in "Porn Addict" on WebMD. Jesus, this technology is AMAZING.

Re:"Browser, browser..."

[gooman]

Well, then don't do that.

Re:Conclusion...

[girlintraining]

I haven't RTFA, per usual, but I'm sure the study concludes that it's a great idea to search the Internet to see if you have a terrible disease using Windows Live Search.

Hello there! I see you're looking for information on WHY DOES IT BURN WHEN I PEE?

Would you like to:
( ) Schedule a visit to Planned Parenthood
( ) Swear you'll use a condom from now on
( ) Order some monostat
( ) Call mom while crying on the toilet.

The obvious joke...

[MessyBlob]

I think I have Cyberchondria...