Eight out of 10 online adults (80%) use the Internet to find health information, according to the Pew Research Center. Looking for health-related content is the third most-common online activity, after emailing and using search engines.
Women are more likely than men to look for all types of health information online. Not surprisingly, adults who are caregivers for loved ones are more likely than non-caregivers to look for health information online. Nearly half (48%) of Internet users who look online for health information say their most recent health-related searches were on behalf of other people.
Caregivers (53%) and parents with children at home (56%) are even more likely to have looked for health information for someone else in their last search.
The higher a person’s education level, the more likely he/she is to seek health information online. [Healthcare/Medical, Online]
Source: “Health Topics, February 2011,” Pew Research Center, Internet and American Life Project, Susannah Fox, Associate Director, 1615 L St., NW, #700, Washington, DC 20036; 202-419-4500; sfox@pewinternet.org; www.pewinternet.org. Price: This study is available as a free download: http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/2011/healthtopics.aspx
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