Info social life keeps you healthy
Jinfo Blog

By Joanna Ptolomey

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My day to day existence involves connecting and sharing with people who work in quite similar fields to me especially in the healthcare sector – we can be a very social group of people.  Whatever sector you work in will probably have similar experiences – instead of healthcare insert your industry sector.

As industry professionals we talk the same language (jargon), have the same concerns and view online sources as a significant source of health information.  But how does the use by health and information professionals compare with the public’s use?  In a recent LiveWire post I felt quite assured of the healthcare market's comfortable view and grasp of the possibilities.  However a recent report from Pew Internet (in collaboration with California Healthcare Foundation) sheds some light and US data into the public use.

The Pew Internet studies continue to show that healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses etc – continue to be the first choice for most people with health concerns.  However increasingly, online resources, including advice from peers, are a significant source of health information in the US.

This Pew national telephone survey is interesting in the different content and platforms being accessed.  People are becoming more specific and focussed in their methods of searching and who they connect with and why.

Much of the information searches are content driven to very specific diseases or treatments (80%) and drug interventions (24%).  Context is very important, as well as content, with people searching for similar experiences from other people via blogs or newgroups (34%) and personal stories (18%).  Platforms are changing with online videos (25%) and social networking (62%).  Healthcare providers are also researched for reviews of doctors (16%) and medical facilities (15%).

With broadband and mobile access continuing to trend upwards more people have the ability and also the habit of sharing their thoughts and actions.  The Pew report concludes that although this is not mainstream in healthcare as yet there are pockets of highly engaged patients and carers.

The main thrust of the data and the report is that health information and indeed the healthcare sector will continue to be changed and modified by the connectedness and conversation of the many different stakeholders, with the public quite possibly being the biggest game changer of all.

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