Dr. Web Makes Many Americans Question Trusted Health Providers

Although trust in medical professionals remains strong, 85.6 million U.S.
adults have doubted their opinion or diagnosis when it conflicts with
information found on the Internet

NEW YORK, July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-eight percent of U.S. adults (or
85.6 million people) say they have doubted a medical professional's opinion or
diagnosis because it conflicted with information they found online. However,
despite the growing power of the Internet, the majority of Americans still
view health providers as their most trusted source of medical information.
In contrast, Hispanics were significantly less likely to trust healthcare
providers first, choosing to speak to family, friends and significant others
more than other races.
This research, commissioned by healthcare marketing communications
consultancy Envision Solutions, represents the first in a series of studies
examining how Americans are using various interactive technologies, including
the Internet, for health. To download a summary of the survey results, please
go to www.envisionsolutionsnow.com/healthtrust.html .
Additional Study Highlights
-- Young Most Likely To Be Skeptical Of Medical Advice: Over four in ten
(43%) Americans ages 18 to 34 said they doubted their health provider's advice
when it conflicted with online sources.
-- Hispanics Least Likely To Rely On Traditional Authority Figures: Only
34% of Hispanics said they would consult their primary health provider first
if they were diagnosed with a medical condition versus 62% of whites and 61%
of African-Americans.
-- Once Trusted Institutions Receive Low Marks: Overall, very few
Americans listed institutions such as government, the media and non-profits as
highly credible health information sources.
-- Besides The Young, Most Do Not View Patient-Generated Content As
Credible: Despite its increasing popularity, only 3% of Americans seeking
advice about how to manage a serious medical condition would view patient
developed online health information as trustworthy. The same amount (3%) feel
this way about mild medical problems. However, 9% of 18-24 year olds are
happy to rely on this type of content for guidance on mild health conditions.
-- While Trust In Internet Resources Lags, Provider-Generated Online
Content May Be Different: Previous research indicates that trust in Internet
resources is not widespread.(1) However, this study suggests credibility may
be influenced by who is authoring the content. Thirteen percent of Americans
say they would consult medical professional-developed information posted on
blogs, online forums or other Websites first if they believed they had a
health condition or disease.
Implications
This study reveals that most adult Americans instinctually trust health
providers. However, increasingly, they are using online information to
critically evaluate medical advice. It also suggests that trust in government
and non-profits has significantly eroded. Finally, health communicators and
marketers should resist overestimating the impact of patient-generated online
content on medical decision-making.
About This Research
Kelton Research, a leading polling firm, conducted a nationally
representative online survey of 1,000 U.S. adults (18+) on behalf of Envision
Solutions from July 17 - 21, 2008. This study has a margin of error of +/-
3.1 percentage points.
About Envision Solutions
Envision Solutions, LLC is a full-service healthcare marketing
communications consulting firm. Our core competencies are in the areas of
analysis, strategic and tactical recommendation development, training and
content development. Please visit www.envisionsolutionsnow.com for more
information about the firm.
(1)iCrossing, "How America Searches: Health and Wellness", January 2008
SOURCE Envision Solutions, LLC

Fard Johnmar, Envision Solutions, LLC, +1-646-723-2341,
news@envisionsolutionsnow.com