If you're sick and you google your symptoms to see what it might be, you're not the only one. A new survey reveals, eight-in-ten internet users look online for health information, making it the third most popular online search out of all those tracked by the Pew Internet Project.
The Pew Internet Project says since one-fourth of adults don't go online, the percentage of health information seekers is 59% among the total U.S. adult population.
The survey finds that not only are some demographic groups more likely than others to have internet access, but these same groups are generally more likely to seek health information once they're online.
The most likely groups to look online for health information include:
- Adults who, in the past 12 months, have provided unpaid care to a parent, child, friend, or other loved one
- Women
- Whites
- Adults between the ages of 18 and 49
- Adults with at least some college education
- Adults living in higher-income households
The Pew Internet Project and California HealthCare Foundation have added eight new topics -- including food safety, drug safety and pregnancy information -- to its national survey measuring internet users' interest in health information. Among the findings in these areas:
- 29% of internet users look online for information about food safety or recalls.
- 24% of internet users look online for information about drug safety or recalls.
- 19% of internet users look online for information about pregnancy and childbirth.
- 17% of internet users look online for information about memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer's.
- 16% of internet users look online for information about medical test results.
- 14% of internet users look online for information about how to manage chronic pain.
- 12% of internet users look online for information about long-term care for an elderly or disabled person.
- 7% of internet users look online for information about end-of-life decisions.
Symptoms and treatments continue to be the big internet users' health searches. Six related topics were repeated from previous surveys, in some cases adding to trends that date back to 2002:
- 66% of internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical problem (perennially in the top spot).
- 56% of internet users look online for information about a certain medical treatment or procedure.
- 44% of internet users look online for information about doctors or other health professionals.
- 36% of internet users look online for information about hospitals or other medical facilities.
- 33% of internet users look online for information related to health insurance, including private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
- 22% of internet users look online for information about environmental health hazards.
If you're searching for medical information online, make sure it's from a good source. The Atlanta based CDC has information regarding most illnesses and diseases, and updates its web site information regularilly.
If you think you have serious illness, it's best to make an appointment with a doctor. In Atlanta you can find urgent care clinics by clicking here.
Comments