title: Use of the internet for health information: United States, 2009.
abstract: Research has shown that 74% of all U.S. adults use the Internet, and 61% have looked for health or medical information on the Internet. Additionally, 49% have accessed a website that provides information about a specific medical condition or problem. In 2009, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) became the first nationally representative household survey to collect data on the use of health information technology when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation sponsored 10 questions that asked about use of the Internet to look up health information, refill a prescription, schedule a medical appointment, learn about health topics in online chat groups, and e-mail a health care provider. This report provides estimates, using 2009 NHIS data, about adult use of the Internet for health information in the past 12 months, by selected sociodemographic characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.
authors.forename: Robin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Patricia F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044382:Population Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult