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Many believe Internet health sites need improvement - Brief Article

Approximately 41 million US adults want more from Internet health resources, according to a May 27, 2003, news release from Manhattan Research, LLC. Among the findings of a study about consumers' perceptions of online resources are that

* 65% believe the accuracy of health information needs to increase, and 55% believe the same about pharmaceutical information;

* 64% believe the quality of health information needs improvement, and 56% believe the same about pharmaceutical information;

* 22% have difficulty reading or understanding health information, and 27% have difficulty reading or understanding pharmaceutical information; and

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* 51% have difficulty determining whether information is credible.

Participants also were asked what traits they desired in online health information sources. Results indicated that

* 81% of respondents believe information reviewed by medical professionals is somewhat or very important in determining their trust of the online source,

* 80% report that the clear distinction of health and medical information from sponsor advertising is very important,

* 70% believe timely, updated information is a motivator to switch to or start using a health information resource, and

* 67% percent LikeLy would switch to a site with content written in an easy-to-understand style. This study was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2002 with 3,003 online consumers representative of US adults who use the Internet.

Study: Americans Expect More of Their Online Health Information Resources (news release, New York: Manhattan Research, LLC, May 27, 2003) http://www .manhattanresearch.com/Credibility,%20Accuracy,%20an d%20Readability%20(052703).pdf (accessed 1 June 2003).

Health Care Industry

Many believe Internet health sites need improvement - Brief Article

AORN Journal, August, 2003

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