A psychologist in Kiambu has expressed concern over a rise in patient self-diagnosis through online research.
Duncan Kaviti warned the trend is causing more harm than good.
Kaviti said the situation causes people to believe their illnesses are worse than they really are and might end up feeling unsatisfied with the doctors' diagnoses.
He said several patients turn at the clinic armed with print outs from the internet with their probable diagnosis while in most cases they were usually far-fetched.
Kaviti added that it was good for patients to seek a second opinion on their health after receiving advice from a particular doctor.
However, he warned that if a patient still felt dissatisfied after the second doctor’s advice, then they should be concerned that this is a case of cyberchondriasis.
Cyberchondriasis is a health anxiety caused by searching for health information online
“Reading medical journals, engaging in chat rooms on medical issues, and all other researches that patients do online have played an important and significant role in helping patients make informed decisions on their health,” he noted.
However, as patients’ research and enlightenment have had a significant role in their intelligence, there is a need for government and other bodies such as WHO to monitor the information available for the patients as this might be detrimental to their healing process.
The doctor said that some patients might end up depressed, fail to obey the doctor’s prescription and stick to their belief on self-diagnosis.
Cyberchondiasis could be treated by a psychotherapist since it’s a type of anxiety, but residents were cautioned that some materials online might be exaggerated, thus causing unnecessary anxiety which was uncalled for.