Social media use in Health

The InSites’ Health Study 2010 has arrived! Want to learn how to engage in the conversation with empowered patients? Visit the InSites health report and find out how European patients differ from their Chinese, American, Russian… fellow-patients.
Some key facts: more than 80% of internet users looks for health related information online. For the connected patient, Dr. Google is the first entrance (95% of users) and Wikipedia is the primary content source (followed by government sites, medical portals and pharmaceutical websites). Information on websites from the industry is considered equally trustworthy as content on Wikipedia.
Patients are mainly interested in (looking for / sharing information about) treatments (existing and new), side-effects of medication, symptoms of the disorders they suffer from, and the impact of their quality of life.
50% of all patients discuss their health and conditions with other people (friends, family, physicians…). 30% has already shared health information online. Overall, Asians discuss more on health online. Conversations by American (USA) patients are more likely to deal with prices and reimbursement.
6 in 10 online patients are member of a social network (up to 80% in Brazil!) and 3 in 10 participate on disease communities (up to 60% in China!) such as PatientsLikeMe. The popular social network Facebook is also the most dominant one when health is concerned.
And what about the future? 1 in 2 digital patients is interested in consulting a doctor online! 1 in 3 patients would consider buying medication in an online pharmacy. 1 in 5 would be interested in automatic text reminders on their mobile phone not to forget their medication intake.

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