How to find health info online you can trust
There’s a lot of misleading health information online. This guide can help keep you safe.
Have you ever turned to “Dr. Google” for advice about a health issue? Many people do. But the truth is that there’s a lot of wrong health info on the internet. Anyone can buy a website name that sounds legit. Anyone can make their website seem like it’s from a trustworthy health group. And they can then use it to push unreliable products or information.
That can even be true of people you think you can trust, like online support groups for a health condition you have or pages on social media apps.
“On the internet, you often don’t know where information is coming from,” says Vida Roozen, chief operating officer of The Smarter Service, which helps older people and their families with technology. “You don’t know how it relates to your conditions.”
Luckily, there are ways to find info online that you can trust, and it all starts with studying the URL, or website address. Here’s what to look for to make sure you’re getting the best possible advice.
URLs that end in .gov
If you see .gov at the end of the URL, that’s a good sign. These government agencies fund or do research. They also help come up with health guidelines for the medical community. Examples include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) and the Office on Women’s Health (womenshealth.gov).
URLs that end in .edu
This means the site is for an educational institution. It might be a medical school or a university. Many of these are connected to hospitals. Often the content is written or reviewed by health care professionals.
URLs that end in .org
Many research hospitals and health groups have reliable websites. These include:
- Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org)
- Skin Cancer Foundation (skincancer.org)
- American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org)
- American Heart Association (heart.org)
Read the “About Us” section on the site. It can give you more details about the group and who is funding it. If it is being paid for by a company that is selling a product or service, the info might not be accurate.
Reputable sites will also likely have citations and references at the bottom, showing you where their information came from.
And remember: It’s always best to talk with your doctor before making a change based on what you read online, says Roozen. They can help keep you safe and healthy.
