The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom)

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.

Health 2.0 Conference update

Matthew at The Health Care Blog has a quick update on the Health 2.0 conference in September.

There are already well over 100 attendees including lots of people from across the worlds of technology, providers, plans, pharma and finance. If you're planning on attending and haven't signed up yet, you may want to act quickly to reserve your spot.

OrganizedWisdom's own Unity Stoakes will be there, appearing on a panel on "Social Media for Patients."

A brave new Life

Have you tried Second Life? This rather bewildering online world is powered by some very strong software, and as the name implies, once you get into it, it can be addictive. It also extends the power of Internet health information into a realm previously inhabited by gamers. Big guns of health -- from the American Cancer Society to the Centers for Disease Control -- have built their own SL presences.

So what's it all about? I first tried Second Life a year or so ago, and had a wonderful time creating an "avatar" (an image that represents "me" in SL). This part of the experience is great -- I made one that looks a great deal like me in the the real world (or First Life, as it's called in SL). If you've always wanted to be a knockout blonde or a cat-eyed ninja, you can do that, too.

Once you learn how to move around, the choices are almost overwhelming unless you sign up for a paid account and devote yourself to building your own "land." Puzzled by the array of choices and motivated by the fact that I do actually have a "first life," I let my account languish unused for several months. Little did I know! During that time, the possibilities have exploded for turning SL into more than a game or glorified chat room.

Second Lifers have held events including their own Relay for Life and a  health fairs. There are health-related photo exhibits and information displays. Here are a few of the coolest health-related places in Second Life (if you have SL software installed, the links will "teleport" you to those places):

• Ann Myers Medical Center: A real-life doctor in the United Kingdom has named this medical center after her mother. The idea is to explore ways to train medical students online. (Also see the AMMC blog.)
• HealthInfo Island: Contains information from a number of different health providers, including a free three-month trial of Reuters Health and an in-world gateway to do PubMed searches. Most recently, this location was host to a seminar on "Self-Esteem and Empowerment." (Blog: infoisland.org)
• The Gene Pool: Interactive genetic education including quizzes, animations, even the chance to get a T-shirt for your avatar, decorated with the markings of your favorite chromosome.

For those of you who haven't experienced Second Life, you'll probably need a fast connection and a semi-recent computer. Here's an introduction to get you started.

If you're not ready to start exploring, but want to know what it looks like, check out this video.

What are you doing in Second Life? E-mail me at pat@organizedwisdom.com. I'll share the best ideas in this newsletter.