Health and Online Learning

For many, the Internet is a source for health guidance in matters ranging from minor maladies to rare or long-term conditions. Whether to research recommended at-home remedies or to connect with a community of patients, caregivers, or practitioners, a Web search can supplement (or for some, replace) the advice of a general practitioner. This is an especially important avenue of health learning for adolescent youth who want to seek out advice about health matters that they deem private or for those who lack the resources (e.g., transportation, money) to ask a medical professional directly.

In addition, the fitness-tracking market continues to expand as devices become a more ingrained [Page 339]part of modern living, especially for teens. Many see this landscape as an opportunity to make health ...