Browsing for Health

Spring 2008

[Savvy Consumer] Eighty percent of Americans have searched for health information on the Internet, according to a recent report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, but only a quarter of respondents consistently checked the source of the information they found. For many facing illness or minor injury, a search engine query on the Internet often comes before a phone call to the doctor.

While useful health information does exist online, Maryalice Jordan-Marsh, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor with the USC School of Social Work, says that establishing the validity of the information you find is key in being able to apply it effectively. Here are some credible government, health and medical sites to ensure a smart and savvy online health consumer experience:

• Medline Plus
• Revolution Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• USC Health Now, a weekly newsletter with consumer tips from USC experts: www.usc.edu/healthnow.

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