Surge in online self-diagnosis trend prompts doctor warning on serious health risks

Self-diagnosis is an indication of increased awareness of health-related issues, yet it also shows an alarming lack of clarity between availability of information and proper interpretation. With the nation striving to overcome changing healthcare issues, the message is very straightforward: informed decisions are necessary.

With the growing accessibility of digital tools and the availability of online health-related information an increasing number of individuals resort to self-diagnosis rather than seeing a doctor which poses a serious threat. As people have increased their awareness regarding health dependency on incomplete or misinterpreted information is currently being attributed to delayed diagnosis and deteriorating disease outcomes in India.

Online self-diagnosis in India

Starting with search engines and going up to AI-based symptom checkers people now have numerous options on how to evaluate their health by their own. However experts warn that this growing trend can often do more harm than good. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that early screening is essential in the management of infectious and non-communicable diseases because delay in diagnosis may enable the conditions to advance without symptoms, complicating and reducing the effectiveness of treatment.

Experts at Paras Health indicate that digital tools have the ability to raise awareness but may not substitute clinical knowledge. The wrong interpretation of the symptoms can make people overlook the warning signs or choose the wrong treatment.

Alarming gaps in early detection

Recent national and international statistics reveal a worrying trend in India where some serious diseases are getting diagnosed in their advanced stages. According to data revealed by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia it demonstrate that the screening rates in the country are extremely low. Cervical cancer screening is only 1.9 per cent although breast and oral cancer screening are also low at 0.9 per cent.

Cancer incidence and mortality rates are also high in India making it the country with the highest cancer incidence in the world. Almost every three of every five diagnosed patients are not cured in large part because they are not diagnosed early enough. The disease burden of cancer is expected to increase dramatically over the next few years which once again reinforces the urgency of early detection.

Speaking on the issue Vineet Aggarwal, Group COO, Paras Health said, "Over reliance on fragmented or context free inputs can lead to confusion, delayed consultations and incorrect self management. Making decisions about your health require clinical examination and depending solely on partial information can pose significant risks."

Late diagnosis of diseases

Diagnosing a medical condition in the advanced stage is not just with cancer but with other conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. According to Dr. Simon Thomas, Senior Director , Robotic Joint Replacements and Orthopaedics at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh diagnostic delays in India may take six months to one year after the symptoms appear. He indicates that early detection is very important in enhancing survival and lessening complications in chronic illnesses. When individuals rely solely on online information subtle symptoms may be overlooked allowing diseases to progress to more severe stages.

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