We need the help of a Doctor to diagnose our illnesses
It seems that Brits need a helping hand from the Doctor House because nearly half have wrongly self-diagnosed an illness and three quarters are unable to name the largest organ of the body.
The study of 2,000 Brits also revealed that 64 per cent are unable to correctly place their spleen and liver.
When probed further, the research to mark the DVD release of the eighth season of medical TV drama House showed that just under half of those surveyed thought their lungs were the largest organ, with only a quarter correctly identifying the skin.
The results also revealed that nearly half of Brits surveyed had wrongly self-diagnosed an illness and that we are all too quick to turn to the internet, with 58% of Brits preferring to consult the web first before consulting their doctor.
"Increasingly, TV shows such as House are making people more aware of looking after their own heath; however, it's really worrying that so many Brits are self-medicating an illness rather than consulting with a GP or seeking the advice of a qualified high street health professional," explains Jne Druker, editor of Healthy.
"With nearly half of people wrongly self-diagnosing an illness, this can lead to a great deal of unnecessary additional stress that could be avoided by simply asking a professional."
Further research also revealed that nearly 1 in 10 people turn to TV shows such as Embarrassing Bodies, Casualty, Doctors and House to self diagnose medical conditions; 1 in 20 people have overheard someone talking about an illness and used this information to self diagnose; while 1 in 50 people have heard of a celebrity’s illness, such as Lady Gaga’s Lupus and Jade Goody’s cervical cancer, and again used these symptoms to self diagnose.
The survey was commissioned to coincide with the DVD release of House: Season 8 out on October 22.
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