The latest Harris Poll, measuring how many people use the Internet to look for information about health topics, finds that the numbers continue to increase. The Harris Poll first used the word Cyberchondriacs to describe these people in 1998, when just over 50 million American adults had ever gone online to look for health information. By 2005, that number had risen to 117 million. In the new poll, the number of Cyberchondriacs has jumped to 175 million from 154 million last year, possibly as a result of the health care reform debate. Furthermore, frequency of usage has also increased. Fully 32% of all adults who are online say they look for health information "often," compared to 22% last year.
Note: You can find a small color graph illustrating the growth of people going online looking for health via iHealthBeat from the California HealthCare Foundation.
+ While the percentage of adults who go online (79%) has not changed significantly for several years, the proportion of those who are online and have ever used the Internet to look for health information has increased to 88% this year, the highest number ever.
The following is both fascinating and scary. Is this good news or a sad comment on the info literacy skill of users? Is this a great example of satisficing (finding something that's good enough) and 92% of people who find something believing it's credible? In all areas of research credibility is key but with health info it's essential to have it and to understand it.
+ Very few Cyberchondriacs are dissatisfied with their ability to find what they want online. Only 9% report that they were somewhat (6%) or very (3%) unsuccessful. And only 8% believe that the information they found was unreliable.
+ Just over half (53%) of all Cyberchondriacs report that they have discussed information they found online with their doctors.
The Summary is Also Home to Seven Tables:
+ Cyberchondriacs: Trends 1998-2010
+ Frequency Of Accessing Health Information Online: 1998-2010
+ Frequency Of Looking For Health Information In Last Month: 2001-2010
+ Success In Searching For Information Online About Health Topics: 2005-2010
+ Reliability Of Searching For Information Online About Health Topics: 2005-2010
+ Discussion With Doctor About Information Found Online: 2005-2010
+ Frequency Of Searching Medical Information Online Based On Discussion With Doctor: 2005-2010
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