Americans Report Using the Internet for Health Research

Of the 73 million Americans who use the Internet to answer health questions, only about 25 percent reported thoroughly checking the source and date of the information they find online, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of online health information seekers say they get the information they need to help them make good medical decisions for themselves and for loved ones - even when they do quick, scattershot searches.

Some 61 percent of these health seekers say online information has improved the way they take care of their health - a significant jump from 48 percent of online health searchers who reported such improvements when Pew did a similar survey in August 2000.

Asked about their most recent episode of seeking online health information, 68 percent of health seekers say the material they found influenced their medical decisions.