Crowdsourced Health

The title tells the story of this book - of how massive online data can be harnessed to improve healthcare through large-scale collection and collation of searches by specific groups of patients. One example is searches by cancer patients where it is possible to achieve a better understanding of their information needs, all the more so with the correspondence between the searches and off-line behaviour. Apparently, we all make between five and eight searches a day, which generates a massive amount of data that can be harvested without necessarily invading privacy - a fine line, as readers will know. It seems that about 40% of people arrive at a correct diagnosis of the condition through Internet searches while other conditions such as anorexia can provide a supportive online community. Another interesting aspect in the chapter about disease and information is the replication of the five stages of grief from Kubler Ross after diagnosis with a serious condition. There is no doubt that this new avenue of research can support public health objectives.