The online world has become increasingly more available for Americans through the use of smartphones. And for a small percentage of the population, it’s their only access for utilizing the Internet. Apparently, a significant number of people are using this source of information to look up medical conditions.
New research from the Pew Research Center indicates that nearly two thirds of Americans have smartphones now, which is up significantly from 35 percent in 2011. Age and class play a roll in who owns devices, as Pew points out, but how those with access are using them is interesting and displays a distinct interest in healthcare.
Smartphones are used the most for text messaging and calls, and of course there is social networking, catching up on the news, GPS navigation and other common uses. But the high number of 62 percent reporting that they use their device to look up a health condition seems surprisingly high – and this appears to be good news for those in the industry focused on providing mobile applications.
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Granted, a lot of people are probably primarily using search engines to figure out if a rash is serious or find out the best way to treat indigestion. But healthcare is on the minds of many Americans more than ever, and options for increased awareness have never been more available.
This seems to be very good news for personalized medicine. The increased use of social media on mobile devices also implies more people will be sharing about health news and new products/companies.
It will be interesting to see how these numbers continue to increase, even just over the next year. Check out the other detailed stats about smartphone use in general here.
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