Percentage of people using the internet for health-related activities

According to the Eurostat ICT household survey, in the EU, 55 % of people aged 16 to 74 searched for health-related information over the internet in the first quarter of 2020, with wide differences across countries. Of all health-related activities, accessing personal health records online and replacing visits to doctors with apps and health websites recorded lower rates, except in Finland and Estonia, which are more advanced in digital health. Online health searches have been increasing during the pandemic and this trend is expected to increase even further in 2021. The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) has been analysing the evolution of EU citizens’ Google searches, looking at users’ concerns during the pandemic. Over time, searches using the word ‘symptom’ show a significant increase, particularly in those countries where the Covid-19 outbreak has been more pronounced. There have been also increases in searches for medical equipment (e.g. searches for face-masks and hand sanitiser) and self-care advice (e.g. on physical exercise and nutrition).