![]() The rise in posts comes at the same time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia reached an all-time highs, though researchers couldn't say whether the surge in people seeking advice on Reddit was linked to the spread in disease. "Currently, we don't know if STDs, or other health issues, can be accurately diagnosed online, especially since people's requests vary in the information they provide."Ī misdiagnosis could lead to people not receiving necessary treatment, which "could result in greater harm to themselves or passing an infection along to others," she added. "Social media was not built to deliver health care," Nobles, who co-led the study, said in an email. People may feel more comfortable reaching out to strangers through a screen rather than an in-person visit, but doctors involved in the study warned of the implications. Of that, 31% of the posts included a photo of symptoms for reference, they added. ![]() After looking at posts from November 2010 through February 2019, they saw a significant spike in the section's posts since November 2018, with the number of posts nearly doubling in the past year, the researchers added.įifty-eight percent of all posts on r/STD were explicitly requesting help with a crowd-diagnosis, researchers said. Researchers combed through a subsection of social media giant Reddit, called r/STD, that's dedicated to sexually transmitted diseases and has more than 10,000 members. Alicia Nobles, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Medicine at UC San Diego. Google for health advice, researchers found that people are increasingly going to social media for help because "people also want a sense of connection," said Dr. Shame or a lack of access means many are missing an opportunity to get professional, life-saving help," he said in the report. "But statistically we should be seeing more. Davey Smith, a study co-author and chief of infectious diseases and global public health at UC San Diego. ![]() ![]() STDs are at an all-time high and visits to clinics have risen, said Dr. "This can overcome some of the embarrassment that might come with going to ask a doctor." Eric Leas, a professor at the University of California, San Diego involved with the research. "Online someone can post a picture yet remain mostly anonymous," said Dr. ![]()
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