Health e-People: Who Are They and Why Do They Use the Net?

Health on the Internet is maturing and going through lots of changes. There are an estimated 15 to 20,000 medical Web sites today, with hundreds being added every month. Despite the wealth of information available, it is getting more difficult for Web users to discern what is real information and what is today's equivalent of snake oil.

The most important development for health on the Internet is that online consumers are actually using it — to look for health information, to communicate with one another and with providers about their conditions, to purchase pharmaceuticals and other health products online, and even to receive care.

A Harris Interactive study in September 1999 found that 70 million of the 97 million American adults who were online had searched for health information in the past year, an increase of 10 million people in just six months.

As explained by Mary M. Cain, Robert Mittman, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, and Jennifer C. Wayne, Institute for the Future, Health e-People: The Online Consumer Experience is the second five-year forecast to map the landscape of Internet health care.

This five-year forecast looks at three groups of online consumers: the Well, the Newly Diagnosed, and the Chronically Ill and their caregivers. It explores their use of the Internet for health-oriented content, community, commerce, and care.

The Well

Well online health consumers make up approximately 60% of the consumers searching for health information online. Because these consumers are well, they don’t often think about health. They search for preventive medicine and wellness information in the same way they look for news, stock quotes, and products.

The Newly Diagnosed

Newly Diagnosed individuals are a smaller group of online health consumers (about 5% of the total). These individuals search frantically and cover much ground in the first few weeks following their diagnosis. Many of the Newly Diagnosed cast a wide net for online information and reach out to enlist the help of a large, scattered network of family and friends.

The Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers

Though relatively smaller in number than the Well population, the Chronically Ill and their caregivers (about 35% of the total online health consumers) have the greatest potential to affect and be affected by Internet health care provision. Many individuals living with a chronic illness actively manage that illness daily and have incorporated that management into their lives. They turn to the Internet for help.

Drivers and Barriers

Whether consumers are Well, Newly Diagnosed, or Chronically Ill, some key driving forces and barriers affect their interest in and use of the Internet for their health needs:

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