Do you ever wonder where teens and college students get much of their healthcare information? A national survey of approximately 1,600 young men and women in the U.S. determined that over 50% of young people, ages 13-24, are obtaining their health and illness information from the internet. The survey (conducted by YPulse, ISIS, YouthNoise, and Peanut Lab) supported that youth continue to get information regarding health and other sensitive issues from peers. The peers are just now being accessed online.

Fifteen percent of the respondents cited WebMD as the most popular source of health and wellness information. STDs, HIV, drug abuse, and substance abuse were cited as top health concerns. Respondents reported that they sought health and wellness-related websites that provided "both accurate, accessible information and a community where users can interact and obtain personal support from both peers and professionals". Additionally, the youth participating in the survey noted that a web-based health information cite they would choose to explore should be fun, interactive, safe, and anonymous.

In light of this study, we as nursing faculty need to be certain our students are taught to appropriately evaluate web-based information. We also need to assist them in developing strategies to help their peers seek out evidence-based sensitive information. Our nursing students need to understand and share with friends that "I found it on the Internet" is not adequate validation of health information.

Source: O'Malley G. (October 21, 2008). Study: Teens join boomers in searching health issues online. MediaPost's Publications: Online Media Daily. Available athttps://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid. Accessed November 19, 2008.