The first thing that people usually do whenever they notice a symptom that could be related to an actual medical condition is usually to Google it because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up giving them some relatively accurate information about what’s going on. Some still prefer to go to a doctor, but many have realized that unless you are suffering from something serious, going online will reveal some of the common remedies for illnesses like the common cold and other innocuous maladies.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the percentage of people that turn to Google to find medical information is increasing in most countries around the world. As per Eurostat, 58% of people in Finland used Google for medical information in 2011, and over the next ten years this proportion grew to a massive 80% with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Denmark also saw a similar rate of growth, with the percentage of people in that nation who use Google as their first resource for finding treatments for their symptoms increasing from 54% to 75% in the same period. Almost twice the percentage of Spanish people are Googling health conditions in 2021, which the proportion increasing from 38% to 69% in a span of ten years or so.
Ireland has also seen a similar rate of growth going from 40% in 2011 to 66% in 2021, as do France and Italy who went from 36% to 56% and 27% to 53% respectively. Austria saw a much slower rate of growth, increasing to 60% in 2021 from 53% in 2011, but in spite of the fact that this is the case the majority of people in most European countries now use Google as their first medical resource before going to a doctor.
Germany is the only exception because its proportion of medical Googlers decreased from 54% to 45%, and while Bulgaria increased from 24% to 36% a majority of people there still go to doctors first.
Read next: New Study Shows Most People Don’t Know How Big Tech Uses Their Private Data
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the percentage of people that turn to Google to find medical information is increasing in most countries around the world. As per Eurostat, 58% of people in Finland used Google for medical information in 2011, and over the next ten years this proportion grew to a massive 80% with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Denmark also saw a similar rate of growth, with the percentage of people in that nation who use Google as their first resource for finding treatments for their symptoms increasing from 54% to 75% in the same period. Almost twice the percentage of Spanish people are Googling health conditions in 2021, which the proportion increasing from 38% to 69% in a span of ten years or so.
Ireland has also seen a similar rate of growth going from 40% in 2011 to 66% in 2021, as do France and Italy who went from 36% to 56% and 27% to 53% respectively. Austria saw a much slower rate of growth, increasing to 60% in 2021 from 53% in 2011, but in spite of the fact that this is the case the majority of people in most European countries now use Google as their first medical resource before going to a doctor.
Germany is the only exception because its proportion of medical Googlers decreased from 54% to 45%, and while Bulgaria increased from 24% to 36% a majority of people there still go to doctors first.
Read next: New Study Shows Most People Don’t Know How Big Tech Uses Their Private Data
