Self Diagnostic Analysis

Scientific developments in technology have always had major effects on the field of medicine, but one recent evolution has changed the way we see health forever. Our mobile smartphones have become a dynamic form of communication, now becoming our telephone, computer, camera and calendar on one device. But lately, a new trend has developed in which the smartphone is becoming a tool for self diagnosis (Knox, 2013). Mobile applications have been developed to enable the user to diagnose and manage a wide range of health issues, from Asthma to Schizophrenia to Celiac disease. While this is beneficial for most people, how accurate is the diagnosis? How can the diagnosis be managed? And how is this process affecting our medical system?

According to the Oxford Dictionary (2015), self diagnosis is "to diagnose oneself of having a particular medical condition." Recently, this has become a popular option for medical inquiries for many reasons. Our nation's health system is becoming expensive, draining large amounts money from our government regularly. The number of people flowing in and out of our hospitals is rising, and with Australia's
Our hospitals are overused for non life-threatening issues (Sunshine Coast Daily, 2014), with public awareness campaigns now in place to encourage people to reevaluate their need to go to hospital. Self diagnosis tools on smartphones can help reduce these numbers, by making people more aware of their symptoms and the proper processes to get better. When accurately diagnosed, people are saving hundreds of dollars on medical care and it is having a positive effect on our nation's health system (Knox, 2013). On the other hand, it is highly likely people misdiagnose themselves and either unnecessarily head to the hospital or do not realise what was diagnosed as a minor condition may be a serious