The study “Chronic Diseases & The Internet” conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project studies the relationship and importance of Internet in the lives of critically ill. According to the study people with chronic health condition are less likely to use the internet but those who do are surely benefitted by the availability of health information, self-help groups and online communities. The usage gap is not the factor of interest, it’s the problem of access. Because logically a critically person is more likely to access health related information on the net compared to a healthier one. Download the full pdf version of this report from this page
When other demographic factors are held constant, having a chronic disease significantly increases an internet user’s likelihood to say they work on a blog or contribute to an online discussion, a listserv, or other online group forum that helps people with personal issues or health problems.
Living with chronic disease is also associated, once someone is online, with a greater likelihood to access user-generated health content such as blog posts, hospital reviews, doctor reviews, and podcasts. These resources allow an internet user to dive deeply into a health topic, using the internet as a communications tool, not simply an information vending machine.
Claire Cain Miller on NYTimes citing this report writes a great piece "Social Networks a Lifeline for the Chronically Ill". In this article Claire talks about various social networks available for such patients and some self-initiated online activities of people with chronic conditions. One such example is of Amy Tenderich, who has diabetes, writes a blog and manages the social network Diabetic Connect from home in Millbrae, Calif.