“Health searches are not an everyday activity for most Americans,” says
Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet Project. “But we have noticed
that once an Internet user has been successful in an online endeavor, she
will return to it the next time she has a similar problem or question, no
matter
how much time has lapsed between the searches.”
Eighty percent of Web users — about 93 million people — have
accessed the Internet to research health topics. They tend to be well-educated
and have
broadband rather than dial-up Internet access, and women are more likely
than men to do health searches, the report concludes.
These users place great faith in the information they find, saying that they
are almost as likely to go online the next time they need medical information
as they are to contact a medical professional. Even the 45 percent of non-Internet
users surveyed say they think the Internet is a good place to get reliable
health information.
The most common health searches were for information on specific diseases
or medical problems, as well as medical treatments and diet and exercise information.
Less than 15 percent of users looked for information on sexual health, problems
with drugs or alcohol or ways to quit smoking.
Some of the biggest users of Internet health sites are patients with chronic
or rare diseases and their caregivers, many of whom take full advantage of
online newsgroups, e-mail list serves and other ways to connect to a virtual
community that provides both practical information and emotional support.
These groups often include people who offer advice to newcomers as well.
“I am an active participant and information flows both directions. I
spend at least an hour a day helping others with their medical concerns,” according
to one survey respondent.
These “power users,” says
Pew Director of Research Susannah Fox, are eager to increase their electronic
dialogue with their physicians.
“They are very enthusiastic about using e-mail to keep in touch with
their doctors, and others told how they value being able to connect directly
with a doctor instead of routing messages through a receptionist, who might
not jot down the details correctly or ask the right follow-up questions,” Fox
says.
Only 7 percent of the e-mail users in the survey say that they have exchanged
health-related e-mail with doctors or other health professionals, but 93 percent
of e-mail users say that it is a useful way to communicate their medical concerns.
Internet users would also like
to see more contacts for local health resources online, as well as more
information on doctors’ backgrounds, according
to the report.
