Patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, are turning to peers on the Internet for information on everyday health issues and for support. But the majority continue to rely on health professionals for diagnoses, drug information, and recommendations about health care professionals or facilities, according to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation.

Over the past decade, the Pew Internet & American Life Project has conducted a series of surveys about ways people in the United States use the Internet, including as a means to find health-related information. According to Susannah Fox, associate director of the project, three-quarters of US residents have Internet access, and 80% of those with access go online for health information.

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