If you’re like most people, you turn to the Internet for answers to your health questions. But when you enter the term colon cancer into a Google search, you get over 30 million hits. It’s overwhelming!
How does the average person know what to read? How do you know what information is reliable? How do you know the content is up-to-date? How do you determine if the information you are reading pertains to your specific circumstances? Do you remain concerned that there is information out there that might help you and you cannot find?
Here are a few tips to help you in your search.
1.) Check to see if the original source is listed
In the age of fake news and alternative facts, it can be vital to know the original source of information. A warning sign that the information is not trustworthy is if the source is anonymous, or itself may not be a credible scientific/medical source.
2.) Verify the information is scientific and supported by facts
Once you know the source, you need to verify it is respected and reliable. Websites ending in .gov are US government websites and are considered reliable. Websites ending in .edu and associated with medical universities are also reliable sources for health information.
With .com websites, it is important to look for the About section to find out the credentials of the people who created the website. Search for the Mission statement and, if you input information on your health, be sure to read how the company uses your information. What privacy protections are in place? Is the website HIPAA compliant?
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