Internet use for health advice is low - Short Takes - Brief Article

Physician Executive, May-June, 2003 by James A. Hawkins

Despite the spread of the Internet, many Americans are still not using it to make better health care choices.

A recent survey conducted for Cigna Healthcare found that while a majority of Americans are turning to the Internet for information before making important decisions, far fewer consult the Web before making decisions about their health.

Titled "The Net Effect: Online Health-Care Tools Still Missing the Mark for Consumers," the survey found that consumers are twice as likely to use the Internet to research a new car purchase or major family vacation than prepare for a visit to the doctor about a medical concern. The survey randomly sampled 1,000 adults over age 18 nationwide and had a margin of error of /-3 percentage points.

According to the survey motivation is not the problem, Nearly 75 percent of survey respondents said they want to use the Internet to find health care information, and a clear majority--59 percent--say the most important reason for using the Internet to get health care information is so they can have a more informed discussion with their doctors.

But only 28 percent currently use the Internet before a visit to the doctor, according to the survey. Respondents said what they find online still falls short--there's too much data to sort through, they are unsure about what they do find or they want to discuss it with someone in-person or over the phone.

James A. Hawkins is a health care writer based in Aiken, S.C. He can be reached by phone at (803)414-2062 or by e-mail at hir@ix.netcom.com.