For Patients and the Public
Turn a health question into a focused search for explanations, evidence and useful appointment questions.
#Use an explainer to understand a question
Health information can help you learn terms, understand a research question and prepare for a conversation about care. MedlinePlus advises asking questions about information before trusting it and discussing it with a healthcare provider before relying on it. A provider can help assess whether even reliable general information applies to your situation.
Start with the question you want to understand. You do not need to read every technical detail to make a useful note for an appointment. Mynd's material is general health-science education, not a personal assessment or a recommendation about your care.
Evidence: MedlinePlus: evaluating health information / Mynd Healthcare: medical disclaimer
#Look for evidence and uncertainty together
Cochrane describes plain language summaries as explanations of research findings in everyday language. Its summaries include what the evidence shows and how confident researchers are in the findings. Clear wording should make these distinctions easier to see, rather than remove the uncertainty to make a result sound more definite.
When reading an explainer, ask what was studied, who or what the findings concern and what is still unknown. MedlinePlus suggests checking whether research involved people or animals, the number and characteristics of participants, the study length, type and funding. A headline alone may not answer those questions.
Evidence: Cochrane: plain language summaries and health evidence / MedlinePlus: evaluating health information
#Bring the question, not a self-made conclusion
MedlinePlus's patient guidance says online health information cannot replace a conversation with your provider. It suggests bringing articles you have read to an appointment. Personal stories can be meaningful, but they are not scientific proof and the same experience may not apply to someone else.
Keep the page address and the point you want clarified. Ask how it relates to your circumstances rather than assuming that it does. Mynd does not diagnose conditions or advise you to start, stop or change a test, medicine or treatment. Its site and contact address are not for urgent medical needs.
Evidence: MedlinePlus (reviewed 2024): online health information / Mynd Healthcare: medical disclaimer
Source note
The sections above were checked against the linked sources. No clinical review has been performed. This is general research education, not a clinical guideline.