If 80% of current Internet users have looked for health information online, what does the future hold? Will the other 20% of current Internet users try a health search some day? Will the 40% of Americans who do not have Internet access some day go online and conduct health research? There is evidence that most Americans, whether they currently have Internet access or not, have a positive outlook when it comes to searching online for health information. We also notice that the more familiar someone is with the Internet, the higher his or her expectations are about online health information. However, there is a significant group of Americans who are completely cut off from online health resources.

Those Internet users who have not yet searched for health information online are most likely to say they just don’t have any medical concerns right now or they are satisfied with the information they get elsewhere. They do not seem daunted by the possibility of untrustworthy information or concerned about where they would start looking for health information online.