Have you ever heard (or given) the advice to steer clear of Google when experiencing unfamiliar medical symptoms? Using the Internet can run the risk of increasing anxiety about serious disease, making patients worry that their common cold is a terminal illness.
Clearly, many people are still looking online when they are concerned about their health. While doctors, nurses, and other health-care professionals continue to be the first choice for health advice, many are taking their problems to search engines and social media as well.
In a 2010 survey, American adults were asked about this topic during a national telephone survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Over 3,000 people were interviewed, and the results show that many patients aren't shy about looking for information online.
Of the participants, 74% were Internet users. Among them, the survey found that:
- 80% have looked online for information about health topics.
- 25% have watched at least one online video about medical issues.
- 18% have used the Internet to find people with health concerns similar to theirs.
- 16% have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other providers.
The study also found that some people are actually using social media sites to access medical information. Among the 46% of participants using social media, they found that:
- 23% have used social networking to follow the personal health experiences of friends.
- 15% have gotten health information on social media sites.
Your chiropractic patients are among these information-hungry Internet users. Give them what they want. Be the reliable source they need about health-related topics. Write articles on your website about musculoskeletal pain. Blog about some of the symptoms in the types of injuries that you treat. Utilize social media to connect chiropractic information to clients and prospects. Upload videos about chiropractic topics. We call this content marketing, and it is worth your time. If you need advice about getting started or help with creating this content, click on the links in this paragraph, explore our website, or call our marketing experts at Chirohosting today.
Reference
Fox S. Summary of findings: " I don't know, but I can try to find out" is the default setting for people with health questions. The Social Life of Health Information 2011. PewInternet.org.
