New Media, Health and Well-Being

One of the detrimental possibilities regarding online mediation of health and well-being information, is the chance for the less discerning individual to be mis-informed, or incorrectly diagnosed. There is even: 

 ...panic about the potential for the web to produce an 

 ‘epidemic of misinformation’ among lay people.

  (Lewis, 2006)

The concern is not only for innocent misuse, but for illegal misuse by people seeking to acquire prescription drugs for pleasure purposes. Studies have shown that there are web sites  which are outside of our country's legal jurisdiction and can supply such drugs online, (Barrat, J. and Nielsen, M. 2009). These are some of the negative concerns facing online mediation of health information.


However, there are definitely positive outcomes to accessing health resources on the Internet. For example, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. She lived over 1, 200 km from the nearest hospital that was equipped for breast cancer surgery and radiation treatment. The local town being small, only limited information and support was available. In cases like these, having the chance to research and connect with other people online is absolutely invaluable. So, as the possibilities increase for the individual to be responsible for learning about their own health, so too do the risks. But they don't outweigh the value of the positive benefits. Therefore, while online resources concerning health and well-being require regulation and monitoring, they must still be made available.

References:


Barrat, J. and Nielsen, M. 2009. "Prescription Drug Misuse: is technology friend or foe?" Drug and Alcohol Review, 28 (1): 81-86. 


Lewis, T. 2006. "Seeking health information on the internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria?" Media, Culture and Society, 28 (4): 521-539.


Youtube. "A Tale of Two e-Patients; Pecha Kucha" Accessed April 11, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ebdGR3IZp8&feature=related