WHO WILL USE PCEH?

Defining a target market is a critical component of marketing. It is estimated that almost 100 million Americans have used the Internet to search for health information (Fox, 2006b). All these individuals are potential users of PCEH delivered by their healthcare provider. However, they are not currently representative of the broader population. Internet users are more educated, younger, and have higher incomes on average. More females than males use the Internet for health-related searches, and individuals with a disability or chronic disease are much less likely to use the Internet than healthier individuals (Fox, 2006a; Fox, 2007). As computer technology becomes more affordable and access to the Internet more prevalent, Internet user demographics are likely to become increasingly inclusive.

In the meantime, for PCEH to have the largest effect it must be accessible to those with the greatest need: individuals with limited means who are afflicted with chronic diseases. Marketing strategies that account for limited health and e-health literacy are likely to be key in assisting these groups to participate in PCEH, especially where these initiatives can tailor information and functionality to serve individual preferences.