Medical Blogs And Disease Management

Personal blogs help fight diseases
Divya Ramamurthi (From The Hindu)http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/03/stories/2006040303550200.htm

Many blogs are run by doctors and scientists
Several patients turning to blogs for information
Some details on blogs may not be accurate

"When 42-year-old T. Sumithra's son was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, she wanted to learn more about the condition. She turned to the Internet for information. But instead of pouring through medical sites and trying to understand what they said, Ms. Sumithra turned to personal blogs. "I wanted to find out as much as I could about the condition - recent medical interventions, what happens and why it happens - but I did not want to be put away by the jargon that appeared on medical sites or be scared by what they had to say. So, I turned to blogs," Ms. Sumithra says. She says that she has been able to locate more than 150 blogs on muscular dystrophy. Some with medical information, some on personal stories on how to cope with it, and others with stories of courage and commitment to fight the situation."