Should Your New Health Care “Professional” Be YouTube?
When patients turn to ‘Dr. YouTube’
When you need a doctor’s appointment, you often need it as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, many patients are learning that accessing health care can mean waiting for weeks or even months to see a medical professional, particularly for preventative care or health maintenance issues.
This lack of access is forcing many people to become more inventive with where they receive health care, leading to the phenomenon of people turning to YouTube videos (and other social media sources) for their medical information.
As of 2022, the number of YouTube viewers in the United States was 247 million. (Add in worldwide usage of the site, and the number becomes 2.7 billion users). It’s also widely considered to be the second most popular social media platform, after Facebook. Although many people watch YouTube for entertainment, it’s also long been noted that people search YouTube for information on DIY projects, educational subjects, and yes, healthcare information, particularly personal testimonials about chronic health conditions.
But is consulting “Dr. YouTube” really good for your health?
Recent studies of the medical literature have found that people turn to YouTube…
