Young people keep up with health issues online - Market Intelligence - Brief Article

Information Superhighways Newsletter, Dec, 2001

A recent survey commissioned by The Kaiser Family Foundation -- an independent foundation that focuses on major health issues in the US -- found that 68 percent of young people in the US have searched online for health information. The survey defines young people as those between the ages of 15 and 24 and reports that 39 percent have changed their behavior as a result of health information they found online.

The Kaiser survey was conducted by International Communications Research between Sept. 24 and Oct. 31,2001 among 1,209 young people in the US. It found that out of the 90 percent of young people who say they have been online, 75 percent have searched for health information and only 67 percent have participated in online chats.

The study determined that a majority (50 percent) of young people search for specific disease-related information, but 44 percent are looking for sexual health information and 23% look for information on drugs and alcohol.

Ipsos-Reid finds that as of July 2001,47 percent of 18 to 34 year-olds had visited health-related Web sites -- representing a greater percentage than the 35 to 54 year-old age range and the 55 and over age range.