While moderators verify medical professionals on AskDocs before they are allowed to answer user’s medical questions, an expert tells Healthnews their advice is not a substitute for visiting a healthcare provider.
According to a 2022 National Health Interview Survey, nearly 60% of American adults use the Internet to search for medical or health information. Moreover, a recent Tebra analysis found that 86% of adults in the United States use online platforms like TikTok and Reddit to obtain medical advice instead of visiting a doctor.
On Reddit, the subreddit AskDocs is a space where people can ask a doctor or medical professional about any health concern. Created in 2013, the group has gained popularity over the years and currently has around 630,000 members.
However, despite the convenience of posting a question on AskDocs or similar groups to get insight on a health issue, relying on medical advice from these platforms instead of going to the doctor can put a person's health at risk.
Are AskDocs' medical professionals legitimate?
According to AskDocs, medical professionals must be verified by moderators before they can engage with Redditors looking for advice.
To receive verification, medical professionals must message the moderators with a link to a picture of their medical ID, diploma, or related credentials with personal information such as their name and image blocked out. The verification photo should also include the medical professional's handwritten Reddit username.
However, in a paper published in 2020, researchers suggested that unlike commercial ask the doctor platforms, the criteria used to verify the credentials of the participating physicians on AskDocs is less stringent and not continuously verified.
"Based on what I know of on the AskDocs Reddit thread, users noted to be 'verified physicians' have gone through a verification process of medical credentials, like a medical license or a board certification," Dr. Jennie Stanford, an Obesity Medicine Physician and medical contributor for Drugwatch, tells Healthnews. "However, the exact details of this process are not available, and I have not gone through this verification process myself. It does not appear that Reddit controls this, but rather a third party."
Can you trust AskDocs' medical advice?
Research suggests that people turn to social media for "ask the doctor" services due to financial barriers to care, convenience, and disappointing interactions with healthcare providers. In addition, some may prefer the anonymity of seeking information online, especially when dealing with stigmatized health concerns, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
When a Redditor posts a medical question in AskDocs, a bot-generated automatic disclaimer message warns the user that any responses from verified medical professionals do not constitute a doctor-patient relationship and information should be "taken at your own risk."
The auto reply also urges users to visit a doctor if they have health concerns and never use AskDocs as their first and final source of medical information.
Responses from verified medical professionals on the platform can vary, with some providing detailed advice and others offering vague answers. Moreover, not all questions posted in the group receive responses, so obtaining advice is somewhat hit or miss.
One Redditor said that since it's a subreddit for advice, responses tend to urge users to seek medical attention anyway.
Every response on r/AskDocs no matter the context
byu/NanielEM inemergencymedicine
Another Reddit user warned that relying on AskDoc advice and waiting to seek medical help could be dangerous and lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment of a serious health condition.
AskDocs is great but is NOT a substitute for a real doctor - A cautionary real tale.
byu/Noexit007 inAskDocs
"My advice to Reddit users who ask medical questions on AskDocs is to be cautious," Stanford says. "While online responses may be helpful as a resource, they should not replace a legitimate consultation with a physician with whom you have an established relationship as a patient."
Stanford notes that online responses to medical questions can only consider the available information, so physicians likely may not have the complete picture.
"Also, while it is uncomfortable to think about, knowing and validating the physician with whom you are discussing goes a long way to establish rapport and trust with that physician and the professional advice they provide," Stanford adds.
Over the past few years, alternatives to traditional face-to-face office visits have emerged, making accessing health care more convenient. These include telehealth, where an individual can consult with a healthcare provider virtually, or 24-hour nurse hotlines, which some health insurance plans provide.
Instead of seeking advice on ask the doctor platforms, people may be able to utilize these options.
Stanford concludes, "Seeking advice from a trusted physician is almost always the best option — relying on professional opinions [is] only secondary to that."
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