Information on the Internet is not a cure-all.

This report finds that California is unique in the United States when it comes to Internet access among low-income residents and overall interest in health information online. However, it is important to note that barriers still exist and the Internet is only part of a solution to the state and national health care crisis. Even if they do gain access to the Internet, inappropriately written text coupled with low literacy levels limit many Americans’ ability to understand what is available online.²¹ Additionally, a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine in June 2003 found that Americans receive only about half of recommended medical care.²² An educated consumer therefore stands a better chance of getting better treatment and the Internet can be a significant resource for that health education process. Online health information is almost a necessity, rather than a convenience, for consumers who are facing health decisions.

Low-income residents still lag behind higher-income counterparts.

Although California leads the nation in the percentage of low-income residents who access the Internet (45%, compared to 36% in the 47 other continental states), a majority of low-income residents still does not go online. And while low-income Californians may be just as interested in health information as higher-income residents, they have to rely more heavily on public Internet access points, such as libraries and community centers, which often don’t provide the privacy necessary for personal health searches. 

Spanish-language health sites must be improved and promoted.

This study finds that English-speaking Latinos in California are highly attuned to the Internet when it comes to health information, but there is room for improvement in their searches for information about a certain medical treatment or certain drugs. And the gap is even wider between English and Spanish speakers – those who speak only Spanish are at a great disadvantage when it comes to both Internet access and access to Internet health information.

A 2001 Rand/California HealthCare Foundation study focused on four common medical conditions – breast cancer, childhood asthma, depression, and obesity – then evaluated the content on 18 English-language and seven Spanish-language health Web sites.²³ Twenty-five percent of basic elements of clinical information were not covered by the English-language sites. Fifty-three percent of basic elements of clinical information were not covered by Spanish-language sites. The researchers also evaluated 10 English-language and four Spanish-language search engines.  Users of an English-language search engine have a one in five chance of finding relevant health information on the first page of results.  If they visit a Spanish-language search engine, users have just a one in nine chance.

The recommendations outlined in that 2001 study hold true today:  Spanish-language sites must be improved so that high-quality, accessible, and reliable health information is available on all Internet health sites.

Health care benefits are changing and the Internet can help keep people informed.

Many Californians are facing cutbacks in their health care coverage and rapidly rising costs. This study finds that California’s Internet users lead the nation in their online searches for health insurance information. Policymakers, advocacy groups, and business groups would do well to make sure all consumers have access to this comparison data, whether online or offline, and that the information is easy to understand and reliable.