The Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, DC recently reported that 50% of American adults seek information about a personal health concern from a source other than their doctor. And nearly two in five American adults reported seeking health information on behalf of another person in the previous 12 months.

Health seeking activity seems to have declined modestly since the recession and in tandem with the decline in print media. However, ten years ago only 38% of American adults reported any health seeking activity.

The Center found that more information is sought on the Internet and less from print media. Those most actively searching for health information are the better educated. People with a graduate education are twice as likely as those with no high school diploma to seek health information (67% vs. 33%)—a disparity that has grown since 2007. The gap between the most- and least-educated groups is even wider for Internet use (52% vs. 11%).

Consumers who researched health concerns widely reported positive impacts. About three in five said the information affected their overall approach to maintaining their health, and a similar proportion said the information helped them to better understand how to treat an illness or condition.

Lastly, the more chronic health conditions people have, the more likely they are to seek health information. Also, women are more likely than men, younger consumers are more likely than older consumers, and whites are more likely than racial minorities to seek health information. These differences, unlike education, are mostly modest to moderate in magnitude, after accounting for other personal characteristics.

In our surveys of Canadian adults who purchase dental care, little health seeking activity was uncovered. But that’s not to say there is little interest in knowing more about dental care and choices for treatment. When asked, for example, what the Partners in Prevention network of preventive dental offices meant to the survey participant, 1 in 5 respondents said they would seek out this new network for their dental care while another 4 in 10 respondents said they would ask their existing dental provider about the Partners in Prevention.

Ross Perry