Self-Diagnosis by Social Media: Preferred Platforms Differ by Generation
Gen Z is most likely to use social media to self diagnose and YouTube is the top platform for diagnosis content; there is so much more to learn from this survey.
Health information is everywhere on social media. Very little of the content is created by medical professionals, the preponderance being generated by “content creators,” “influencers,” and everyday users, and that's a problem.
A recent survey by practice technology consultant Tebra queried a representative sample of 1000 US adults about what platforms they consult most often for medical information, the types of self-diagnoses they make, whether they follow-up with a health care professional, and what the pros and cons are of social media diagnosis content. Click through the slides here to find out where boomers, Millennials, and Gens X and Y getting their medical information.
When health is in question, age makes a difference in the likelihood that a person will consult social media for answsers, with boomers the least likely and Gen Z twice as likely as the older generation.
Based on information they found on social media, more than half of survey respondents diagnosed themselves as having depression.
Depression was the most common condition diagnosed using social media content and YouTube was the most common source of the information.
The Baby Boom generation is more likely to rely on Facebook for diagnosis content on social media while Gen Z goes for the faster take, on TikTok.
Members of Gen X appear less likely to consult a medical professional after making a self-diagnosis than other age groups and the Boomers seem most likely to look for confirmation.
A bit more than half of those who gave themselves a diagnosis of anxiety did so accurately, according to the survey findings. Other diagnoses were farther from the mark.
Disease and illness diagnosis is featured in up to 10% of content across their social media feeds, respondents said; Tumblr ranked #1 for most "diagnosis content" while Facebook ranked in 5th place.
Increased awareness leads the beneifts of health information and self-diagnosis content offered on social media platforms.
The downsides of health information gleaned from social media platforms endorsed by survey respondents align with popular concerns and warnings.
The majority of respondents who have used social media health information to self-diagnose support the use of warnings on content that has not been created by a medical professional.
Source: Americans see pros and cons of social media diagnosis content. Tebra. Published June 2, 2023. Accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.tebra.com/blog/social-media-self-diagnosing/
