The Social Life of Health Information, a new report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, has examined the health research behaviors of Americans, finding that 57% of adults that use the internet to find health information.  It was interesting to note that half of that activity was related to looking up guidance for someone else, which is a reminder of how many of us play the role of carer when it comes to health. 

But if you want to think about how to address health before it becomes something you need to research and fix, take a look at this report by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America (April 2009):  Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America.  The executive summary starts with the chilling statement that the United States is raising a generation of children who may live sicker, shorter lives than their parents.  How do we change that future?  RWJF offers a thought-provoking review of what would constitute a healthier society, ample data and analysis to support their view and proposals, and profiles of current programs that illustrate what could be done. 

—Consumer Reports Information Analysts

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