More than a quarter of Australians now use the phone to find out if a doctor is the right one for them

More than two-thirds of Australians are now using the phone or online to find medical advice, with nearly three quarters using social media to do so.

Data from Australia’s Essential Research Network (ERN) shows more than one in four adults in Australia now use social media or online tools to seek medical advice.

The ERN figures show one in three Australians (31.7 per cent) are using a mobile phone or an internet connection to access the ERN website, the most popular tool for accessing information about their health and their medical care provider.

It also showed more than three in four Australians (64.2 per cent), or more than two out of every three Australians, use a social media account.

The survey was carried out by ERN for the Australian Health Information Network (AHIN) from August to December last year.

More than two in three people (62.3 per cent or 34.4 million people) are also using social networks such as Facebook or Twitter to search for information about themselves, their health or their healthcare provider.

More:”I’ve been using Facebook since the age of 12 and I’m always on the look out for information,” one of the ERNs users said.

“I found it helpful to keep up with what was happening and when I wanted to go see a doctor.”

But the ERNS survey also found Australians are increasingly using other types of online platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, to find healthcare information.

“It’s not just the ERNP, it’s Facebook and Instagram that are popular with Australians,” Dr Anthony Liddon, an ERNS research officer, said.

He said the ERRN data revealed Australians increasingly use social networks to seek information about other health providers, and that this was also a growing trend.

“The data shows Australians are using social platforms to access information about the providers they are seeking medical advice for, including doctors,” Dr Liddons said.

Topics:health,health-policy,australiaFirst posted January 23, 2019 18:06:03Contact the author