We all know that the Internet has become crucial tool for gathering health information. A new report finds 80% of Internet users look online for health information, making it the third most popular online pursuit following using email and a search engine.
Research by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has found that people’s networks are expanding to include online peers, particularly in the crucible of rare disease. Health professionals remain the central source of information for most Americans, but “peer-to-peer healthcare” is a significant supplement.
Eighteen percent of internet users say they have gone online to find others who might have health concerns similar to theirs.
The most striking finding of the national survey is the extent of peer-to-peer help among people living with chronic conditions. One in four internet users living with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions, lung conditions, cancer, or some other chronic ailment (23%) say they have gone online to find others with similar health concerns. By contrast, 15% of internet users who report no chronic conditions have sought such help online.
According to the research, the most likely groups to look online for health information include: caregivers, women, whites, younger adults, and adults with at least some college education. The groups least likely to look online for health information include: African Americans, Latinos, people living with disability, older adults, and adults with a high school education or less.
Some of the most notable interactions involve people who meet online for the first time. There were numerous examples of these powerful long-distance connections in our online survey of patients and caregivers who take part in rare-disease communities. One adult living with a rare condition described how she connected with another patient online, bonded, and then enriched the friendship with in-person encounters: ”The first time I met another patient, face to face, I sobbed. I was overjoyed and began to communicate with them on a regular basis and my network grew.”
Find the full report on Peer-to-Peer Healthcare at the Pew Research Center website.
