I know what's wrong with me, Doc?

Concept of Self-Diagnosis

Self-diagnosis refers to the practise of patients utilizing information from sources other than a medically trained doctor to identify symptoms and relate it to a particular disease. Quite simply, patients act in the sense that they are completely cognizant of their health condition without seeking medical advice.

Self-diagnosis is not a new phenomenon. However, it has become a more pervasive one in society due to the impact of the Internet. With the advent of the Internet, information on medical issues has become more accessible and hence people are turning to the Internet as the first stop to appraise their current condition and many diagnose themselves and eventually seek out the cure on their own. This new 'empowering' Self-diagnosis has led to a new condition called cyperchondria where many patients misinterpret symptoms and misdiagnose themselves leading to deleterious consequences to their health.

My research would focus on diagnosis, treatment and communication aspects of patient physician relationship in the Internet age.