81% of U.S. adults use the internet for health information.
For Pew Internet’s September 2012 health survey, they explored how U.S. adults are using the internet and digital technology as tools related to health and healthcare. Among the findings:
81% of U.S. adults use the internet and 59% say they have looked online for health information in the past year. 35% of U.S. adults say they have gone online specifically to try to figure out what medical condition they or someone else might have.
39% of online health seekers say they looked for information related to their own situation. Another 39% say they looked for information related to someone else’s health or medical situation. An additional 15% of these internet users say they were looking both on their own and someone else’s behalf.
Seven in ten (69%) U.S. adults track a health indicator for themselves or a loved one and many say this activity has changed their overall approach to health, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. In all:
- 60% of U.S. adults say they track their weight, diet, or exercise routine.
- 33% of U.S. adults track health indicators or symptoms, like blood pressure, blood sugar, headaches, or sleep patterns.
- 12% of U.S. adults track health indicators or symptoms for a loved one.
Fore more information on the reports and data associated with these findings, please see: 2012 Health Survey Data.
Photo credit: Ayaka
Via Pew Internet