The Pew Internet Project's Susannah Fox discusses the research group's latest healthcare findings at Health 2.0. Europe. The Pew Internet project is a non-profit research organization based in Washington DC that studies the social impact of the internet.
She elaborates on several patterns of usage for patients with chronic diseases, diabetes, cancer, lung diseases, hypertension and those with acute illness. Patients with chronic diseases are more likely to see or ask a health professional. Only 62% of patients with chronic illness seek advice from the internet, while 82% of healthy individuals seek advice from the internet. 93% of those with chronic illness seek their health from health professionals rather than the internet.
Patients seek knowledge from each other, via blogs and sites such as ‘People Like Me”, listservs, rather than health education websites.
The internet is a supplement to health care and has been over-rated as to it’s importance. Further development is necessary.
Watch the video .