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Czechs have become accustomed to shopping online, chatting online, choosing their holidays online and increasingly also self-diagnosing online. The number of people googling health related issues has risen steeply since the Covid pandemic and doctors are warning about the risks involved.
Earache, rash or chronic back pain. Thousands of Czechs go online every day to find out what’s wrong with them, seek reassurance from those who have experienced similar symptoms and get advice on what they can get for it at their local chemists.
A recent survey suggests that 95 percent of Czechs have gone on the internet for medical advice for themselves or close family members and 52 percent of people regularly consult health issues online.
Most often they turn to the internet because of unusual symptoms they have noticed -and close to half of the respondents polled said they check online whether they need to see a doctor if they are having difficulties. According to the survey, people under 30, residents of larger cities and women are more likely to seek advice online.
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Authors: Daniela Lazarová, Vojtěch Bidrman