6533b7d0fe1ef96bd125ab9e
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Do Dr. Google and Health Apps Have (Comparable) Side Effects? An Experimental Study
Stefanie M. JungmannJohanna KolbSebastian BrandMichael Witthöftsubject
050103 clinical psychologybusiness.industry05 social sciencesInternet privacymedicine.diseaseCyberchondria03 medical and health sciencesClinical PsychologyOpen data0302 clinical medicinemedicine0501 psychology and cognitive sciences030212 general & internal medicinebusinessPsychologydescription
Googling and using apps for health-related information are highly prevalent worldwide. So far, little is known about the emotional, body-related, and behavioral effects of using both Google and health-related apps. In our experimental study, bodily symptoms were first provoked by a standardized hyperventilation test. A total of 147 participants (96.6% students) were then randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Googling for the causes of the currently experienced bodily symptoms, using a medical app to diagnose the experienced symptoms, and a waiting control condition. Health-related Internet use for symptoms led to stronger negative affect, increased health anxiety, and increased need to consult a physician compared with the control condition. Googling and using the medical app showed comparable adverse emotional and behavioral effects. The findings are in line with current models of cyberchondria in which health-related Internet use represents an essential factor in maintaining and amplifying emotional distress.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-01 | Clinical Psychological Science |