Did you know that asthma affects more than 34 million Americans? According to the WebMD Asthma Health Center,
asthma affects this many people with symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and
tightness of the chest.
The above link will take you to the main home page for the
Asthma Health Center, and from there, you can explore many different routes
depending on the information you are searching for. I chose the WebMD website because it is has
an award-winning senior staff and editorial team. WebMD is widely known for their in-depth,
credible information and news. It is written
and edited by medical doctors that have been or are continuing practice.
Much of the same information found on WebMD can be found in
other sources such as the CDC website, Mayo Clinic, and Medical News Today. WebMD seems to be easier to understand for
most people and is directed towards your everyday person that didn’t attend any
medical schooling. They also tend to cover
all aspects of care and the multiple variations that come among different
people. WebMD is directed towards
parents and families, so it tends to be less intimidating than other
informative sites.
I think one of the main things to take away from the WebMD website is that the cause of asthma is not known. This means that you should avoid the triggers that are known to correlate strongly with asthma. Allergies are known to play a large role in whether or not a person develops asthma. It is also well known that family history and genetics weigh heavy on the chances of having asthma. Also, whether you already have been diagnosed with asthma or you are trying to prevent being diagnosed, it is important to avoid anything that is harmful to the respiratory system. This especially includes smoking, second-hand smoke, occupational dusts, or environmental pollutions for example.
All about asthma.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/asthma/
Asthma. (2013, March 27). Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/
Asthma. (2012, May 26). Retrieved
from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/DS00021
Asthma
health center. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-overview-facts
When I type in a Google search for almost any medical diagnosis, WebMD is at the top of the list. Most times before CDC and Mayo Clinic. It is interesting to me that WebMD has grown to such popularity considering the reputable sources that are attached with CDC and Mayo. However, you do bring up a good point about how user friendly the site is for laypeople unfamiliar with medical terminology. There are many sufficient sources of information that can be gathered about Asthma from this site. Looking more thoroughly at the site, there is more than I had expected. Recently updated articles on advances in asthma are available as well as videos and references for asthmatics. There are more different types of asthma than I was even aware of detailed on this site. I have heard doctor skepticism about individuals diagnosing themselves before their doctor visit based on info they obtained from WebMD. In some cases this can negatively impact a patient visit because of possible stresses on symptoms the patient has already identified a reason for. This is where gathering objective nursing data can be most effective. There are many more positive aspects to the use of these types of sites that benefit patient education. In regards to asthma, I believe the most helpful knowledge to obtain here are the signs and symptoms of the disease to know what to look for in the instance someone is experiencing asthma and is in need of medical care.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! It got me thinking about how much people use the Internet to research and deal with medication issues. With the vast amount of available information on the Internet it is not surprising how many people spend countless hours a day on their computers surfing the web. My 75-year-old grandfather spends a large amount of his day browsing the Internet, as does my 20-year-old brother. Personally, I don’t even want to know how many hours per day I spend on the Internet. Between social media, schoolwork and general browsing I’m afraid to see how high the number may be. The general accessibility and what seems like infinite amount of information on the web draws all types of people to the Internet. Although this immense amount of information can be useful, we also need to take it with a grain of salt. This especially can be taken into account when people go on the Internet searching symptoms or researching medical conditions.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the WebMD website I agree that this site would be attractive to a person with asthma, and may be less intimidating then other, scholarly sites that use medical terminology. The set up and simple language of this site makes it attractive to the average person with little to no medical training. I think that sites like this can be of use to people dealing with asthma, but only after they have been diagnosed and cared for by a practicing physician. Individuals dealing with asthma can use sites like this if they want more information about their condition or if they find the information on this website easier to understand. This site is user friendly, easy to understand and navigate. Some links that I feel could be useful are tips on using a peak flow meter and keeping an asthma diary. If a person forgot how to use theirs, or the instructions from the physician were unclear they could follow the simple, step-by-step directions from the website. Another thing that I feel could be beneficial is the community section. Some people may struggle with a new diagnosis of asthma and this website could be a source of support. By connecting and discussing with others who have the same condition it could help to ease some stress. This community section also contains news, tips and resources for those suffering with asthma.
As a nurse it is important that we are aware of these types of websites and know that people are using them. People may come into the hospital or clinic setting with information obtained from the Internet, and this information may or may not be correct. It is our job to have the correct information on the topic and pass this information along to the patient. We can suggest websites such as this to keep our clients informed about news and resources, but they should not be used to medical support. We must remind people that the Internet should not be used to treat medical conditions and if they feel something is wrong they should still seek medical attention from professionals.
With the wealth of knowledge that can be easily accessed on the internet these days, I think we as nurses can use this to our advantage. There are many sites that provide accurate, credible information in an easy to read format direct towards the medical layman such as WebMD. This website has a page titled “about us” where I was able to read a short synopsis about the senior editing team most of which are doctors themselves. They also include a list of prestigious awards so I would tend to trust the credibility of the information.
ReplyDeleteAt times patients may feel confused or rushed by our health care system and we should take our time with patient education but a nurse may not always be easily accessible if they have frequent questions. For this reason, I believe internet sites such as WebMD would be a good place to refer our patients if they would like to learn more about their disease/disorder or the symptoms they are experiencing. Being able to access health related information allows the patient to be more in charge of their care and also explains things in a way they can easily understand. However, an important caveat to inform patients of is that sites such as these are not intended to be used for a diagnosis but are simply a learning tool.
I have found the WebMD website to be very helpful on many occasions. It is amazing how much information they have on a variety of different diseases etc. I also really like that site because not only does it tell you a little bit about what you are researching and the pathophysiology of it, but also the signs and symptoms, how to treat it, and much more. I liked that you pointed out how easy it is to navigate the site. It not only is nice for us nursing students to quick research information on our patients or for something in class, but it is also super nice for any person who wants to know more about something they have, a family member has, or even something they saw in a television show.
ReplyDeleteMany people have been diagnosed with asthma and don’t really know what it is. The WebMD website can aid in helping them better understand their diagnosis and also help them live with it. The website can explain the symptoms they have or may have and different treatment routes that the nurses and doctors might not have time to teach the patient about or might not even know about all of them. As nurses, I think it is important to take the time to educate our patients on their diagnoses and educate their family, too. That way they aren’t leaving the hospital with questions that they have to go to the internet to find. Nurses can however refer them to these types of websites so they can better understand what the nurse has taught them and to expand on that knowledge.
I have found the WebMD website to be very helpful on many occasions. It is amazing how much information they have on a variety of different diseases etc. I also really like that site because not only does it tell you a little bit about what you are researching and the pathophysiology of it, but also the signs and symptoms, how to treat it, and much more. I liked that you pointed out how easy it is to navigate the site. It not only is nice for us nursing students to quick research information on our patients or for something in class, but it is also super nice for any person who wants to know more about something they have, a family member has, or even something they saw in a television show.
ReplyDeleteMany people have been diagnosed with asthma and don’t really know what it is. The WebMD website can aid in helping them better understand their diagnosis and also help them live with it. The website can explain the symptoms they have or may have and different treatment routes that the nurses and doctors might not have time to teach the patient about or might not even know about all of them. As nurses, I think it is important to take the time to educate our patients on their diagnoses and educate their family, too. That way they aren’t leaving the hospital with questions that they have to go to the internet to find. Nurses can however refer them to these types of websites so they can better understand what the nurse has taught them and to expand on that knowledge.
Great post!
ReplyDeleteBetween Web MD and Mayo clinic, these are always my go to sources for a basic understanding of any disease process. Like stated, they have many credentials that make them reliable and trustworthy when it comes to health information.
I completely agree with you about the recommending this web site to others due to ease of reading and understanding. I think this is critical for us as nurses to remember. As we have learned in our previous courses, most of the population in united states can only read/ comprehend at an 7th grade reading level (Pub Med, 2008)!!! This makes it extremely important that the data we present, as well as health information on the web, easy for people to understand.
Additionally, this website is very user friendly with navigating their information- what good is the data, if you can’t access it! They break each tab down by facts, diagnosis, signs and symptoms, treatment ect., which makes everything well organized.
Finally, asthma is a condition that is very manageable, if we put the effort into patient education and resources. This is especially important when dealing with children; school nurses goals should include making sure children know when and how to properly use their treatment. Because kids love to be active and play outdoors, it is necessary that we have kids or teacher have their inhalers at all times. This is also a website as others have mentioned that we can refer parents or teachers to for further education.
Asthma health center. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-overview-facts
Pub Med. (2008). Readability assessment of internet-based consumer health information. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18811992
Interesting post Courtney! Asthma is a scary and complex condition that warrants additional research and education, often found on the Internet. WebMD is a great source of information for individuals of a limited medical background. Looking at WebMD versus Mayo Clinic on the topic of asthma, I personally found Mayo Clinic more appealing. WebMD was cluttered with advertisements and I felt that the information was hidden under a stack of tabs that had to be clicked. For example, under Symptoms & Types, there is a tab for Asthma Symptoms, Asthma Attack Symptoms, Unusual Asthma Symptoms, Types of Asthma, etc. To learn about each category, the tab must be clicked making it more difficult for a non-tech savvy person. Mayo Clinic provided much of the same information but in a much more fluid manner with all the Symptom information located under one tab.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding that this is personal opinion, I was curious to know if there was a site that provided data of what the public thinks? Where does the public get their information on healthcare? Quantcast is an online company that measures the traffic on sites and the demographics about them. WebMD rates 59, ahead of Apple (61), Target (65), and not surprisingly the IRS (69). Mayo Clinic rates a bit lower on the list at 98, while the CDC found itself at 541 (Quantcast, 2013).
A recent survey supported the trends of Quantcast and stated “56% of consumers said that they are most likely to use media sources and information service companies such as Dr. Oz, The Doctors, iVillage, and WebMD” (Kaissi, 2011). Only “15% said they use health service and manufacturing companies such as the Mayo Clinic and Johnson & Johnson, and another 16% said that they use government organizations such as the CDC and the FDA” (Kaissi, 2011).
Nonetheless, regardless of personal opinion, with the staggering number of individuals using the media as their primary source of health care information, it is important for these sources to realize the importance of the reliability and accuracy of the information they are providing.
Reference
Kaissi, Amer. (2011). Where do people get their health care information? Retrieved from http://healthcarehacks.com/where-do-people-get-their-health-care-information
Quantcast. (2013). Top sites for United States. Retrieved from http://www.quantcast.com/top-sites/US/