The growth of the Internet and the vast amount of information it makes available are dramatically changing health care and medicine. As many as 100 million people in the United States now have access to the Internet, and that number is expected to grow by 50 percent over the next few years.
Health information is some of the most popular content on the Internet.
An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 web sites provide health information. More than 70 percent searched the medical literature. More than half sought descriptions of diseases or information about their treatment. More than 80 percent searched for information on drugs, including their side effects, interactions and generic availability. Part of the growing demand for health information on the Internet is driven by an aging population.