Google search uses a medical quiz to help diagnose depression
Google search uses a medical quiz to help diagnose
depression
Google is offering a verified test that could lead to
treatment.
By Jon Fingas August 23, 2017
Only half of Americans who face depression get help for
it, and Google is determined to increase that percentage. As of today, it's
offering a medically validated, anonymous screening questionnaire for clinical
depression if you search for information on the condition. This won't
definitively indicate that you're clinically depressed, to be clear, but it
will give you useful information you can take to a doctor. And importantly, the
very presence of the questionnaire promises to raise awareness and promote
treatment beyond what a basic information card would offer.
The questionnaire is part of a larger effort from
internet giants to provide helpful and potentially life-saving information to
people with mental health issues. Facebook is testing AI that can detect
suicidal comments and make it easier to get help, while its Instagram service
recently started offering support to users when their friends report concerning
posts.
In many cases, they're concerned both about offering a
helping hand as well as making sure that you get accurate information. Google
and others are determined to fight fake news, and they know that the
consequences of false or incomplete medical information could be serious. If
you need help, they want to be sure you get the appropriate support.
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