Should the medical answers section be taken off Yahoo answers ?

Question

Hi folks im Baz a Nurse and i am very concerned about the medical question and answers section on Yahoo.
There are some very stupid and idiotic people giving very DANGEROUS & HARMFUL medical advice to all sorts of people on here about things they quite clearly know absolutely nothing about.
I am going to try my damdest to get this 1 section of Yahoo question taken off or someone could end up seriously ill or even dead.
What do you think ??

Answer 1

If this section was removed from Yahoo answers, people would still have access to thousands of poorly written/communicated, misunderstood, inaccurate and dangerous advice elsewhere (not just on the Internet, but on TV, in books and just what people have heard).

As a Ph.D. in the life sciences I think that what I can do is:
1) correct inaccuracies when possible,
2) ALWAYS provide references so that people can determine the level of trustworthiness - just because I have a Ph.D. DOES NOT MEAN I AM ALWAYS RIGHT (or in some peoples view WRONG)
3) educate people how to evaluate the information they are getting so they can make the most informed decision possible

I encourage everyone (no matter their level of education) to do the same

Answer 2

As another health care professional, I worry about the same thing. Like the other's said, it's the person asking the questions responsibility to be weary of advice given. I don't offer medical advice in my posts, I just offer information.

What worries me is that there are so many STD questions that are the intellectual equivalent of 5th grade sex education. There are so many misconceptions about STDs still in this day and age.

I don't think the sections should be removed, I think they should come with a disclaimer. The other person was right when he said something about re-wiring a house should only an electrician answer?

And besides, what's the difference between asking on here and using a search engine to self diagnose? People can get bad medical advice anywhere on the internet, not just Yahoo Answers.

Answer 3

If you get this section removed don't you think people will just ask these questions in the health category. They already do that, but seeing as though you are all powerful why don't you get that section deleted too.
I'm also an RN and I agree there are a lot of ridiculous answers and when I'm on here I point them out, while also directing them to their own physician for answers.
As you well know you can't possibly give specific advice without doing a physical assessment complete with a history, but you can help answer general questions (and if you don't know the difference then don't answer).

Answer 4

Sometimes when I check resolved questions I cringe at the naivete of the chooser. Some people believe what they want to believe. It really gets my goat when I spend a half an hour researching a question and the questioner chooses a really dumb response. You cannot protect everyone from the canards of the misinformed. Hopefully, others who read the answers will gain more beneficial knowledge.

Yet there is a cadre of good responders to this section, too. Some are nurses or physicians with very reasoned answers. I think the section should remain.

Answer 5

I understand and appreciate your concern, but you can't "ban" a section. That would be censorship. Moreover, yahoo users know that there is a strong likelihood that an amateur will provide answers to their questions, and might even get a rude or harmful answer posed as an honest tip.
If people are going to listen to half-baked advice without considering options or seeing a medical specialist, that is their own problem. I am sure that long before yahoo answers existed, those same people might have sought advice from random people as well. Learning is a part of life.

Answer 6

I think you make a valid point in that potentially harmful "medical advice" is disseminated on Y! A; however, I disagree that removing the medical answers section will improve safety, en passant. As stated by a previous poster, there exists a multitude of alternate medical and health advice sites in which "experts" could be anyone. To me, it is easy to tell the difference between the thoughtful, unbiased answers provided by knowledgeable health-care workers from those who falsely claim to be medical professionals.

The rating feature provides one means by which lay persons can discern good from bad advice, but several other cues alert those who pose questions to be wary of the misinformed (or deliberately mischievous) answers.

I obviously give more credit to those who ask questions in the medical section. I'm also aware (as I'm sure you are), that some questions are asked by people who think something might be wrong with them, but are uneasy about "bothering anyone" and need the extra assurance of others to seek (sometimes immediate) help when the responses to their questions generate consistent messaages, e.g. "go to the ED *now*," or "you *need* to call 911," etc. In this sense, the medical section can enhance people's health by encouraging them to seek treatment when they otherwise may not.

Answer 7

you have a good point. i think most people with any common sense just use it as a sounding ground and dont take any advice too seriously. i would hope most people would go to the doctors if really ill, but then i suppose there are some that do take this site too seriously.
If you cant get the section removed, maybe you could get them to put some sort of advice/warning on the page advising people to go to the doctors

Answer 8

I can understand your concern, but it's up to the asker to heed or ignore stupid advice. I agree that some seem to prefer the daft and ridiculous but that's their life in their own hands. And even doctors and nurses do sometimes give wrong advice too. Let it be, humans are not endangered, and no one should risk their lives on an answer from the internet.

Answer 9

I feel like that too. Some people can be very easily led, especially if they just want help and are too shy to go to their GP. I've given advice about not taking too many sleeping tablets and painkillers but I always stress that this is only my opinion and their GP is always the best person to turn to no matter what. It worries me about some of the advice given beacuse people sometimes don't realise that this could be an actual life they're commenting on.
Most advice is given with good intentions but you can't always tell, can you?

Answer 10

Even if there were no such section, people would still ask the questions.
It's a sad reflection on the Health Service that they don't just go straight to a doctor.
There are many questions that nurses should not be allowed to answer.