Internet Users and Health Info Seekers

(February 2009) -- 2008 data on Internet users and health information seekers:

Almost half (49%) of Internet users use search engines on a typical day (Pew).

Internet users with higher levels of education are more likely to use search on a typical day:

College graduates:	66%
High school graduates or less:	32%

Internet users living in higher-income households are more likely to use search on a typical day:

$75,000 or more:	62%
Less than $30,000:	36%

Younger Internet users are more likely to search on a typical day:

8-29 years:	55%
30-49 years:	54%
50-64 years:	40%
65+ years:	27%

Men are more likely than women to search on a typical day:

Men:	53%
Women:	45%

YouTube accounts for 25% of Google search queries in the United States (comScore).

2008 Online Search Share of Market (hitwise)

Google:	59.48%
Yahoo:	20.20%
MSN/Live:	5.88%
Ask:	3.80%

Health Information Seekers (Pew)

• 75-80% of American Internet users have searched for health information online
• 10% of Internet users searched for healthcare information “yesterday” compared to 7% in 2006.
• 78% of broadband users look online for health information
• 55% say their last health info search affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition.
• 75% of those with a chronic condition say their last health info search affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition.
• 31% say they or someone they know has been significantly helped by following medical advice or health information found on the Internet.
• 3% say they or someone they know has been seriously harmed by following the advice or information they found online.
• Of those who experienced a diagnosis or health crisis in the past year:
• 59% say the information found online led them to ask a doctor new questions or get a second opinion compared to 48% of those who had not had a recent diagnosis or health crisis.
• 57% say they felt eager to share their new health or medical knowledge with others, compared to 45% of those who had not had a recent diagnosis or health crisis.

Born-On Date: This article was written on February 1, 2009, using the best information available at the time.