Death of the doctor: surge in Irish ‘cyberchondriacs’

Irish people are turning to one of their best friends, the inter-web, when they’re feeling under the weather as they can’t shell out for GP visits.

Almost half of Irish people have opted for a Google search over a trip to the doctor for medical diagnosis.

Women were found to be more likely than men to consult the reliable source that is the Internet with more than 60pc of Irish women up to 44 years using it to dodge GP fees.

Interestingly, 45pc of the population said they would engage in consultation with doctors via a phone service or web chat if it was offered.

Meanwhile, when it comes to embarrassing medical problems, more than 55pc of young males said they would prefer to hit up the web for a cure rather than a face-to-face encounter.

Dr David Ward of Quinn-healthcare’s GP Helpline said: “In these financially challenging times, people need to make their money stretch further, even when it comes to their health. Offerings like the GP Helpline make it possible to do this and also enable customers to save time by picking up a telephone for peace of mind.”

“As the research suggests, the Internet is also being used by people to save money and while it is a significant source of information it should be treated with caution and used in conjunction with advice from a trained medical professional.”