Many caregivers in the U.S. are taking advantage of technology to gather information about medical problems and treatments, according to a report published today from the Pew Internet and American Life Project. The report's authors called caregivers "highly engaged" in the pursuit of health information, pointing out that 59 percent with Internet access said that online resources have been "helpful" to their care efforts. Fifty-two percent of such respondents said that online resources helped them to deal with stress associated with serving as a caregiver.
Overall, 72 percent of responding caregivers indicated that they gather health information online, while 52 percent said they have participated in an online social activity related to health in the past year, "Caregivers are turning to every resource available to get the information and support they need," the authors said. Report