When asked to think about the last time they went online for health or medical information, 39% of
internet users who have done this
type of research say they looked for information related to their own
situation. Another 39% say they looked for information related to someone else’s health or medical
situation. And 15% of these internet users say they were looking both on their own
and
someone else’s
behalf.
Online health seekers age 65 and older are more likely
than those in the middle age groups
to say their
last search was on their own behalf: 48%, compared with 39% of 50
-
64 year
-
olds, for example. Parents
are more likely than non
-
p
arents to look on behalf of someone else: 44%, compared with 36%.