Why lay people use diagnostic self-tests instead of consulting a health professional

Abstract

Background: A broad range of self-tests (testing for e.g. cancer, allergies) is freely available on the Internet. In Germany, there are no studies which have investigated the personal motives of using self-tests on one’s own initiative to diagnose a (risk of a) disease which was the aim of this study. Methods: An online survey was conducted to investigate (a) the main reasons for using a self-test and (b) the preference of using a self-test over a medical diagnosis. Participants were invited to the survey in batches, which were representative for the gender and age distribution in Germany, until data of 505 self-testers and 512 non-self-testers was gathered. Open questions were analysed based on a qualitative content analysis. Results: Six general main categories of motives for using diagnostic self-tests were identified and varied according to the disease. For instance, self-tests to diagnose kidney diseases were most frequently conducted to obtain more knowledge about one’s current health status. In contrast, tests to detect an inflammation of the bladder or urinary tract were most frequently conducted because of medical complaints. The most frequently stated reasons for preferring a self-test over the conventional medical diagnosis were practical advantages of the test application: e.g. faster test results, problems to get a doctor’s appointment etc. Discussion: Motivational reasons for using a self-test were mainly related to the test application, self-management or out of curiosity. Dissatisfaction with preliminary or potential medical diagnosis was stated rarely. Self-testers follow-up behaviour and their emotional perception need to be investigated.