The Internet: Not Just for Drip Pan Cleaning

Head-scratchers click here first.

Link to August 26 Pew Internet and American Life Project post, "E-Patients: Chronically Ill Seek Health Information Online".


Excerpt:

The internet is changing the way Americans engage with information, whether they are choosing a president or making health care decisions. Two major drivers for this change are broadband adoption and personal motivation.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project estimates that between 75% and 80% of internet users have looked online for health information. Slightly different results exist for the size of the e-patient population depending on survey strategy, but these results are close enough to be confident about the right contours of this group. The estimate is also in line with Harris Interactive's latest data on health information seekers (81% of internet users; 66% of all adults).

The 75% reading is from an October-December 2007 national phone survey, which included 2,054 adults ages 18 and older, including 500 cell phone users. This survey asked: "Do you ever use the internet to look for health or medical information?"