People in Exeter are most likely to turn to Dr Google in an emergency, study shows

New research has revealed the areas of the UK where people are consulting Dr Google before seeking the advice of a medical professional.

Out of the cities assessed in the research conducted, Exeter ranked as one of the areas where the most people are turning to Dr Google to remedy their problems, with 86.6 monthly searches per 10,000 people based on data from a group of 100 search terms.

To narrow down what the UK is searching to treat, the research collated 100 of the top search terms across the UK which included the phrase ‘how to treat’. 

The top five most searched terms in the group included:

• How to treat a burn

• How to treat sunburn

• How to treat a wasp sting

• How to treat blisters

• How to treat a mouth ulcer

The research indicates the people of Exeter could be the most prone to having an accident or hurting themselves, while also being reluctant to consult professional help. 

Commenting on the research, Mark McShane, director at first aid course provider, Skills Training Group said: “We wanted to conduct this research to see how popular it was for people to search for solutions to their ailments than to just go and get them assessed by a professional. We share a lot with Google, our phones and computers and it seems turning to Dr Google is popular with the UK with a real range of searches throughout the 100 terms. 

Lancaster ranked in at the top spot for the city with the most people searching for the 100 terms related to ‘how to treat’ with 214.2 average monthly searches per 10,000 people.

Mark added: 

“From a first aid point-of-view we would always recommend seeking professional medical assistance if it’s needed rather than trying to deal with or solve a problem yourself. Sometimes those that seem simple to deal with can actually snowball and become much more of a concern, so it’s best to get them seen to if possible.”

The full UK ranking and research can be found here.