No, today's column is not about all of the above diseases and conditions. It's about the fact that the number of adults who seek health information on the internet has doubled in the past 2 years. That "ties" the internet with books and magazines for third place, when it comes to sources adults use for health information. First place is still held by doctors/health professionals and second place is usually friends and family.
Half of current online health searches are done for someone else's health issue, and quite often information is gleaned from blogs or online comments made by others (this is now being called "passive consumption"). It's obvious that the internet is open 24 hours a day and you can remain anonymous while seeking information. You can also get information from sources worldwide, and you can use the internet to assess a recommendation made to you by a doctor.
The key is to use reputable websites like those sourced from the FDA, CDC, WHO and also expert-based, reviewed medical sites like WebMD, Intelihealth, Mayo Clinic. I write for healthcentral.com, a website that sets up "connections" devoted to specific individual conditions and illnesses.
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