Most Teens Seek Medical Advice Online

While any doctor will tell you to take what you learn about health and medicine online with a grain of salt, it seems that message has failed to reach at least one demographic in this country - teens.  According to a new study, more than eight in 10 U.S. teenagers turn to the Internet for health information and just under a third have changed their behaviors based on what they found online.

Not all the advice they find is bad advice.  For example, teens following advice online have sampled healthier foods, tried exercising when depressed and reduced how much soda they drank, the study found.

But the Internet still ranked fourth, behind parents, school health classes and health care professionals, in terms of where teens are getting their information, the study authors noted.

One expert said this points to the benefits of online information. "There is so much hype that the Internet is pulling families and relationships apart. Actually, teenagers are going to the Internet to cultivate healthier and safer lifestyles," said Dr. Jodi Gold, assistant professor of psychiatry at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City.

The study found that 55 percent of teens get a lot of health information from their parents, followed by 32 percent from health classes, 29 percent from doctors and other health care professionals such as nurses, and 25 percent online.

"This study reinforces the importance of being involved in your teenager's life," said Gold, who was not part of the research. "While teenagers go to the Internet for health information, they still get most of their health information from their parents."

The survey included information from almost 1,200 teens in the United States between the ages of 13 and 18 in late 2014 and early 2015 when the survey was conducted.  The survey, also conducted online, asked teens how they seek out and learn about various health information.

The survey found that one quarter of teens said they got "a lot" of information online, and just over a third said they got "some."  Overall, 84 percent have searched for health information online at least once with 58 percent saying they usually begin by searching for a topic on Google.  Half of those using search engines said they clicked the first result, which they considered the "best" site for their question.

"Careful discussion with teens about seeking information online is critical since teens may act on the information they receive and may end up harming rather than helping themselves," said Dr. Danelle Fisher, vice chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

"The Internet is a wealth of information, but not all of this information is accurate. Teens and adults should always analyze critically the source of information when trying to look up something online and use reputable sources if possible."