This survey of the online health habits of 3,700 adults found that females aged 25-34 are the most frequent online consumers of health information, and that this segment utilizes a greater variety of online resources than other segments. A full two thirds of these women cite the web as the primary source of information for keeping their household healthy.

Full Article from BurstMedia.com

The 2007 Consumer Medical and Health Information poll found that 70% of adults use the Web as a primary source for health information, while 72% cite their doctor as a primary source.

Full Article from GovTech.com

Harris Interactive uses the term "cybercondriacs" to refer to online health information searchers. According to their new poll 160 million Americans now qualify as "cyberchondriacs," a 37% increase from two years ago.

The poll also found that two-thirds (66%) of online adults look for health information at least sometimes, 5.7 times a month on average . Most (58%) have talked with their doctor about the information they found online.

Full Article from Harris Interactive

A recent Manhattan Research survey shows that more physicians than ever feel that patients coming into their office with online materials is having a net positive effect. However, some specialists such as neurologists, surgeons, and cardiologists, tend to be more wary of how the patient may use that information.

Full Article from iHealthbeat

JupiterResearch estimates that 34 percent of adult online users in the U.S. have contributed to health-related social media in the past year. Jupiter refers to these adult users as Health Connectors, a population segment that health marketers and stakeholders must address as consumer-created content continues to grow in popularity.

Full Article from JupiterResearch

eMarketer suggests that pharma company sites may be providing online health information that patients wish for - but are not getting - from their physicians.

Full Article from eMarketer

From Center for Media Research and Nielsen//NetRatings, a look into the destinations, demographics, advertisers and ad specs for the Health, Fitness and Nutrition Online destinations in August and September.

Full Article from Center for Media Research

A recent study by Jupiter Research shows that the main reasons people use online support groups is to discuss medication and treatment options.

Full Article from iHealthBeat

Compared to unmarried consumers, married consumers go online more often and are more likely search for health information online.

Full Article from Manhattan Research

According to a study by Manhattan research, 5.5 million seniors (adults aged 65+) now use the web to look for health information, while an additional 41.5 million "future seniors" (adults aged 45 to 64) currently use the Internet for health research. The study also provides trends for online usage stats for both seniors and “pre seniors”.

Article

A study reveals that although computer based learning is effective, the plethora of information that is available could potentially be harnessed negatively by unknowing health seekers.

Full Article

According to the latest Pew Internet report although 26% of Americans have used the Internet to look for prescription drug information only 4% have purchased prescription drugs online. The study indicates that consumer distrust of the online drug marketplace is to blame for the reluctance to purchase online.

Pew Study

JupiterResearch recently released its "Online Prescription Drug Sales" report analyzing consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior in 2003. The report found that between 2 million and 4.1 million adult Internet users in the United States bought prescription drugs online from questionable providers, defined as "foreign pharmacies or rogue providers not directly associated with licensed U.S. pharmacies". The report found that up to one-half of the 2 million to 4.1 million consumers did not use valid prescriptions to obtain the desired drugs.

These rogue or foreign pharmacies, however, are unlikely to enjoy strong sales growth in 2004, as consumers are becoming increasingly wary about such transactions. Concerns include drug safety, the legality of purchasing prescription drugs online, and credit card misuse.

Read more here.

A recent study from Pew Internet and American Life shows that the number of U.S. seniors using the Internet grew 47% in the last four years -- reflecting what they are calling the "silver tsunami". Seniors and aging baby boomers, of course, are critical population groups for pharma marketers given their high consumption of prescription drugs. To see the latest online usage statistics among these groups, click here.

The number of electronically integrated physicians has grown by 48,000 in 2004, according to Manhattan Research's annual study of practicing U.S. physicians. The study finds several key trends emerging in 2004:

Read the press release.

Manhattan Research recently identified five critical trends driving the future of the ehealth market in 2004:

1. Market of ehealth consumers diversifies -- organizations will need to properly analyze and target the various subsegments
2. Internet a primary health info channel for > 80 million consumers -- online consumers are just as likely to use the Internet as they are their physician in 2004
3. Recall of drug ads flattens, but role of Internet expands -- a growing number of consumers are going directly to the product website after seeing an ad
4. Growth of "connected consumer" segment loses steam -- the link between patient, provider and payee will remain spotty, but stronger link between consumers and their health plans
5. eHealth moves beyond e-patient to e-caregiver -- understanding the impact of those beyond the patient is extremely relevant

Highlights from a March 2004 Harris Interactive study on consumer use of online pharmaceutical services:

View article here.

Interesting findings from a Manhattan Research study analyzing consumers who seek pharmaceutical information online:

Read the press release here.

In an ongoing study to analyze how consumers find pharmaceutical information, healthcare marketing firm Manhattan Research finds that the Internet is quickly becoming the medium of choice. Insufficient information from TV ads and even doctors and pharmacists has consumers turning to the Web in record numbers. Research shows that initial awareness is created through TV, then the information-gathering process is continued online. Manhattan estimates that 13 million consumers visit pharmaceutical websites after seeing a drug advertised on television.