Consumers trust Web sites that provide information about the causes of illnesses and treatment options but are wary of sites that offer quality data, according to new research presented this week at an America's Health Insurance Plans online seminar, Modern Healthcare reports.
Metavante Healthcare Payment Solutions, a research group, contracted with Change Sciences Group to conduct the online survey. In August 2007, more than 500 participants were asked to visit the Web sites of several insurance and financial companies and quality organizations to search for information on back pain and evaluate their experiences.
Consumers trusted information about causes of illnesses and treatment options about 80% of the time, but they trusted quality data only about 40% of the time, according to the research.
Beth Griffin, vice president of Metavante, said that part of the reason for the findings could be that general health information has been available to consumers longer than quality data and that people are more familiar with that type of information.
She added that consumers' use of online health information could play a "key role" in driving consumer choices but that health plans have to utilize technology to provide a higher level of financial and quality data to their members before that happens (DerGurahian, Modern Healthcare, 4/24).