IVR

In the tenth year of the new millennium, Google (News - Alert) has become an inseparable part of our mundane existence. From finding the security solution for your newly bought home to finding out the best beer joint in your locality---we have reached a point where we have started feeling insecure without an access to Google, literally. The Americans especially put high reliance on Google and their reliance extends to using the search engine as the source for health care information. According to A national survey, Americans rely highly on Google searches as a source of health care information.

The survey was conducted in April 2010 by Capstrat and Public Policy Polling. The report revealed that 22 percent of respondents consider Google searches influential in seeking health information. The search engine ranked second only to doctors (44 percent) in reported influence and was named more than twice as often as nurses, pharmacists, advocacy groups and friends or family members.

The poll first asked where people turn to for health information. The second question, the poll asked was: which sources they trust.

Health advocacy groups emerged as a particularly trusted source of online health information: 71 percent judged Web content of such groups somewhat reliable or extremely reliable, considerably higher than the 59 percent who felt that way about organic Google searches.

The survey found that online communities have not yet attained the place of a major influencer in health care. Only 12 percent of respondents used online forums in their last search for health information, and only 37 percent considered forums somewhat reliable or extremely reliable.

Of those who did look to online communities, the number one reason for checking out with them was their around-the-clock availability.

However, not all the communities are similar in their perception about the Google as a source of health care information.

The survey revealed significant differences in the way various segments of society use online communities.

African Americans and Gen-Xers are significantly more likely to consider them reliable sources of information.

Younger respondents were also much less likely to see pharmacists as reliable sources of information. This reflects the younger generation's more impersonal relationship with chain pharmacists compared to their parents long-standing reliance on the mom-and-pop operations that used to dominate the landscape.

The survey however highlighted on a crucial point, that is, although people find Google a useful tool for finding information, when it comes to taking decision, they trust people more than the mere search engine.

"We found it interesting that popularity and trust don't always go hand-in-hand. People are quick to search the Web for health information, just as they use it for most other questions today. But when it comes time to make a decision, their trust resides where it always has ­ in people. This insight can be instructive to organizations working to combine health expertise with new strategies for communication," Karen Albritton, Capstrat president.

The complete survey result can be available at www.publicpolicypolling.com.