1 in 3 Americans uses social media for health

That's the conclusion of a new report from iCrossing, as summarized in Jane Sarasohn-Kahn's excellent Health Populi. Among the findings:

• 1 in 5 searchers chose Wikipedia.
• People want information they can use -- ratings, reviews, facts and figures.
• Patient advocates are in demand -- who better to tell you what it's really like to live with a condition than someone who's been living with it?

Jane then mentions OrganizedWisdom (thank you) among the sites that are forging the way in this area. I particularly like her conclusion:

There are already a cadre of influential health bloggers and social media mavens who are the Patient Opinion Leaders in their disease areas -- whether cancer, diabetes, MS, mental health, HIV, and a long list of other chronic conditions. Just as pharma companies recognize and reward Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) for their knowledge of patients and prescriptions, the Consumer Opinion Leader (COL) will become influential for both other consumers and, increasingly, stakeholders like health plans and pharma companies.

What do you look for when you search for health information online? Is there any particular "patient opinion leader" who stands out for you?