Report: Online health site usage tapers off

The number of so-called cyber-chondriacs - those consumers consumed with needing medical information to self-diagnose or research ailments - is beginning to taper off. This according to a recent Harris Interactive Poll. What does this mean for advertisers? Perhaps just a simple warning that investing more and more of the ad budget to content sites geared toward health information should also reach it's maximum.

by Kristina Knight

"The rapid growth in the number of cyber-chondriacs seems to have plateaued," said Humphrey Taylor, Harris Poll Chairman. "We do not know if this pause is temporary or more permanent. Influential experts have supported the widespread use of the Internet as a way to improve the quality of health care."

The report found that although the number of cyber-chondriacs have increased each year for the past 10 years, in declined by about 10 million users in the past year. In 2007, 160 million consumers were reported to have logged in to a health site; this year only 150 million consumers have logged on.

The survey also found that about 25% of consumers still go online for health care information "often"; cyber-chondriacs go online for health information 4.8 times each month. Of those who go online to find health information, 86% say the information on health sites is reliable and nearly 90% say their searches for information were successful. However, those who do search for health information online only discuss their findings with doctors half of the time.