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Healthcare, insurance and injury lawyers take notice : 8 in 10 use Internet for health information

In a press release this week, the Pew Internet & American Life Project reports Eight in ten (79%) internet users have looked online for information on at least one of 16 health topics, with increased interest in diet, fitness, drugs, health insurance, experimental treatments, and particular doctors and hospitals. That translates to about 95 million American adults (18+) who use the internet to find health information.

Per Susannah Fox, Associate Director at the Pew Internet Project:

Half of all American adults are now using the internet to gather advice about health and health care. Some people, especially those with high-speed internet access and many years of online experience, are also changing the contours of health searching. Several years ago the usual internet health search was for someone in real medical need such as an outbreak of worrisome symptoms or a new medical diagnosis. These days, experienced internet users and those with broadband connections are just as likely to be looking up information about how to stay well, which doctors have the best surgical record, or what insurance pricing options are available. The internet’s power users now look up every-day questions and do their health homework online.

LexBlog Tip: It’s safe to assume with 79% using the Internet for insurance and healthcare information, a high number of Americans are looking for legal information online on those same topics. If you are a healthcare, insurance, personal injury, medical malpractice, disabilty or workers’ compensation lawyer you need to be sharing legal information online. Localize this info to your state and you could be come the premier source for such legal info. A legal blog is great way to do so.

Source for post: Sabrina I. Pacifici’s beSpacific

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