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Most Canadians report that health information is easy to find and understand, and that they get all the information they need. However, a majority also reports obtaining contradictory information. This combination of results suggests a need to ensure that Canadians have the necessary skills to be discerning consumers of health-related information.
Resources
Overall news release: Majority of parents can’t help their children with homework, say Canadians
Fact Sheet: Attitudes toward Health-related Learning (PDF, 910 KB)
News release for health-related learning: Health information easy to understand, but contradictory, Canadians say
Summary of questions (PDF, 89 KB)
Complete questionnaire (PDF, 314 KB)
Figure 1: Where Canadians turn for health-related information
Canadians use numerous health information resources available to them. On average, respondents report having used five to six different sources of information in the past year.
Family doctors are the most frequently cited source of information, followed closely by media, friends and family, and books. Women report using books more frequently than the internet, while the reverse is true for men.
Women report using a greater number of information sources than men. On average, women used six different sources of information, while men used five.
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Figure 2: Younger Canadians use more sources for health-related information
Younger Canadians report using a greater number of sources for health-related information than older Canadians. On average, 25- to 34-year-olds report using six or seven different sources of information, while those aged 75 and over report using about four different sources.
Younger and older Canadians also report different patterns of use. For example, while Canadians of all ages report that they consult their family doctor for health-related information, younger Canadians (aged 20–44) are just as likely to consult friends, family and the internet. In contrast, older Canadians (aged 45+) are much less likely to solicit health-related information from friends, family or the internet.
Figure 3: Less-educated Canadians use fewer sources of health-related information
Canadians with higher levels of education report using a greater number of sources for health-related information than do Canadians with lower levels of education. Whereas Canadians with a university degree report using an average of six different sources of information, those without a high-school diploma report using an average of four different sources.
Canadians with higher levels of education are more likely to report using friends and family, the internet, books and public libraries as resources for health-related information.
Figure 4: Sources providing most helpful information: internet tops list
Overall, Canadians report a high degree of satisfaction with the health-related information they find. In most cases, more than 80% of Canadians report that their sources of health-related information are helpful in providing answers to their health issues.
Canadians report that information found on the internet, more than any other source, was helpful in answering their health-related questions, although it wasn’t significantly ahead of over a half dozen other sources.
There are notable age-related differences among those who use the internet for health information. While more than 90% of 20- to 64-year-olds report that the health-related information found on the internet is helpful in answering their questions, only 84% of those aged 65 to 74 and 47% of those 75 and older report similar levels of satisfaction.
Figure 5: Canadians can find relevant information; although majority find it contradictory
Respondents were asked about their experiences of trying to learn about health-related issues. The vast majority of Canadian men and woman of all ages and education levels agree that, when trying to learn about health-related issues, they are able to find relevant information. In addition, over 80% of Canadians indicate that they are able to find whom they should speak with, that they find it easy to ask questions, that they are able to get all the information they need or want, and that the information they find is easy to understand.
However, more than half of Canadians report that they receive contradictory information from different sources and approximately one-third of Canadians report that people do not have time to answer their questions.
Figure 6: Other sources of health-related information Canadians would find useful
Respondents were asked about the potential usefulness of various sources of health-related information. Canadians indicate that these sources of information would be useful to them, particularly free information at their doctor’s office.
Figure 7: Men use internet more than women for certain health challenges
When faced with hypothetical health challenges, men and women report that they would turn to different sources of information. Men identify the internet as a potential source of information somewhat more often than women (for weight loss, major health crisis, and elderly care health challenges). The opposite pattern emerges for sources such as books, libraries, or bookstores, which are cited more frequently by women than by men (for minor disability and major health crises health challenges).
Figure 8: Women use books, libraries and bookstores more than men for certain health challenges
Respondents were asked to consider specific health challenges such as trying to lose weight, coping with a minor disability, coping with a major health crisis, or arranging for elder care. Respondents were then asked what sources of information they would use to learn about these health challenges.
Family doctors and the internet are the two most frequently cited sources of information for all four of the hypothetical health challenges. Despite this consistency, Canadians do have different strategies for finding health-related information in different health contexts. For example, Canadians indicate that they are more likely to use the internet to learn about minor disabilities and major health crises than to learn about weight loss and elder care.
Figure 9: Canadians’ use of the internet for specific health challenges
Figure 10: Canadians’ likelihood to consult family doctor or clinic for certain health challenges
For all four of the hypothetical health challenges, younger Canadians are more likely than their elders to report that they would look for information on the internet. In contrast, older Canadians are more likely to report that they would consult a clinic or their family doctor.
Given a health crisis, Canadians older than 44 years are much more likely to consult a family doctor or go to a clinic to find information, and those aged 25 to 34 are somewhat more likely to do so. On the other hand, the next age category up (35- to 44-year-olds) is more likely to consult the internet than visit the doctor’s office.