I believe that, although very few people engage with their health on a daily or even weekly basis, it is important to understand what they do when their attention is focused on a health question.
Susannah Fox will provide data on the current internet population, with a particular focus on health communication, wireless adoption, social media, and implications for public health planning.
Social media is simply the current expression of patient activation and engagement. But this time e-patients are part of a larger cultural change that assumes access to information, enables communication among disparate groups, and expects progress.
Quick answers to frequently-asked questions: Is a cultural shift affecting health care? How do people judge the quality of health information online? Are patients ready for this?
NPR’s Morning Edition story, “Patients Turn to Online Buddies for Help Healing,” combined research and real-life examples, participatory medicine and health data rights.