Web Is A Healthy Source

Medical advice is never more than a few clicks away on the Internet, and growing numbers of consumers are turning to the World Wide Web for health care information.

About 98 million Americans use the Internet to gather information on health topics, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive.

The number of “cyberchondriacs,” as Harris describes them, has grown from 54 million since 1998. That’s about 86 percent of all Internet users.

Of the 1,001 adults polled by Harris, 13 percent of respondents said they look “often” for health information, 40 percent said “sometimes” and 33 percent reported their use to be “hardly ever.”

Harris conducted the telephone survey last spring. It has a statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

If you’re not surfing for health information, check out these Web sites, which are new, informative or entertaining:

* Calling Santa: Tis the season for St. Nick to be making a list and checking it twice.

An online service puts Santa in direct contact with youngsters, who can drop hints on what they’d like for the Yule holiday.

Parents who sign up for the service complete a questionnaire, which includes information ranging from the child’s nickname to what he or she got for Christmas last year.

Santa will stay on the line for up to 10 minutes, chatting with kids about topics laid out in the questionnaire.

It costs $9.95 per call, or $5.95 for an Audio Letter delivered via e-mail.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/santacall

* Divorce, American style: Divorce is traumatic enough without adding insult to injury. That’s the premise of a new Web site that aims to make life easier for those considering or going through divorce.

Visitors can take advantage of anonymous online access to legal, psychological and financial advice. Softsplit.com also plans to help children of divorce through its Softsplit Kid portal.

http://www.softsplit.com

* Unleash the artist within: Budding Van Goghs can now reveal their talents to the world via a new art site.

Nostravita is the brainchild of two artists who have tried to create a free Web site for the independent artists across the globe.

They have invited all artists, from schoolchildren to accomplished professionals, to showcase their creations in glorious Web-color. So if you always thought you were a bit nifty with a brush, now’s your chance.

http://www.nostravita.com