Survey: 80% of Internet Users Search for Healthcare Information Online

About four out of five U.S. Internet users have searched for health information online, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation, AFP/Google reports. CHCF publishes iHealthBeat.

For the report, researchers from Princeton Survey Research Associates International conducted telephone interviews of 3,001 adults between August 2010 and September 2010.

Key Findings

Researchers found that 80% of U.S. Internet users — or 59% of the U.S. population — used the Internet to search for one of 15 health issues, such as data on food recalls, health conditions, hospitals or physicians.

About one in three U.S. adults said the Internet helped influence their health care decisions or the decisions of someone they know.

The report also found that:

• 34% of Internet users said they have read an online commentary on a health issue (AFP/Google, 5/12);
• 27% of Internet users said they have gone online to track their weight, diet, exercise or other health factors (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 5/12);
• 25% of Internet users said they have watched a health-related video online (Chan, MyHealthNewsDaily/MSNBC, 5/12).
• 24% of Internet users said they have consulted an online review of a specific medication or treatment (Healthcare IT News, 5/12); and
• 18% of Internet users have gone online to find other people with similar medical concerns (MyHealthNewsDaily/MSNBC, 5/12).

However, researchers found that few respondents turned to social media platforms to engage with others about health issues. Only 9% of respondents who use social media tools said they have started or joined a health-related group on a social networking site (AFP/Google, 5/12).

Source: iHealthBeat