In 2007, 56 percent of American adults--more than 122 million people--sought information about a personal health concern from a source other than their physician, up from 38 percent, or 72 million people, in 2001, according to a national study released Aug. 21 by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).
Consumers who actively researched health concerns widely reported positive impacts--more than half said the information changed their overall approach to maintaining their health, and four in five said that the information helped them to better understand how to treat an illness or condition, according to findings from HSC’s 2007 Health Tracking Household Survey. The study’s findings are detailed in a new HSC tracking report, Striking Jump in Consumers Seeking Health Care Information.
Across all categories of age, education, income, race/ethnicity, and health status, consumers increased their information seeking significantly, but education level remained the key factor in explaining how likely people are to seek health information. In 2007, for example, 72 percent of people with a graduate education sought health information, compared with 42 percent of those without a high school diploma. Access the report.
