Kids Search for Health Info Online As Much as Adults, But for Different Reasons

Numerous studies and reports over the past few years have made it clear that the majority of people now use the Internet to search for health information.

But would you guess that Gen Yers (18 to 26) and Gen Xers (27 to 40) are now searching for health information online as much as Boomers and Seniors?

That's what the results from a 2006 Forrester Research survey titled How Different Generations Use Online Health Research show.

While different generations all seem to be using the Internet to find health information, what's interesting is the different types of information each age group is really using looking for.

Even though 84% of consumers said they have researched a health-related topic online in the past 12 months, the reason for researching health information online and the way consumers conduct their online research varies by age group significantly.

Here are some examples:

76% of Seniors (adults 62 and older) use the Internet to research medical conditions related to their own personal health, while only 19% of seniors research health conditions online out of curiosity, and fewer than 10% conduct online health research for academic, scientific, or professional reasons.

 

Gen Yers (18 to 26 year olds) were also most likely to research specific medical conditions online related to their own personal health, but 31% of this segment said they conduct online medical research out of curiosity and another 21% said they conduct online medical research for professional, scientific or academic reasons.

Here is another enlightening trend from the survey:

The Internet is the preferred source to learn about health topics for younger consumers, but it decreases with age. The survey found that 61% of Gen Yers say the Internet is their top source for health information, compared with 55% of younger baby boomers and 44% of seniors. 

The survey also found that Gen Yers are the most likely to research health information online when their physician suggests it, while older boomers were the most likely to go online to confirm what a physician or health care professional has told them.

It will be very interesting to track this data over time as each generation ages and see how these generational paradigm shifts will impact today's health care services online and off.