This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。
A new survey finds that more than eighty percent of Internet users in the United States search for health information online. The survey is from the Pew
Research Center's Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation.
一项新的调查发现，美国80%以上的互联网用户在网上搜索健康信息。该调查来自皮尤调查研究中心下属的互联网和美国生活项目和加州医保基金会。
Susannah Fox from the Pew Internet Project says doctors are still the main source of health information. But the survey found that searching online is one of
the leading ways that people look for a second opinion.
来自皮尤互联网项目的苏珊娜·福克斯（Susannah Fox）表示，医生仍是人们获得健康信息的主要来源。但这次调查发现，上网搜索成为人们寻找第2种观点的主要途径之一。
SUSANNAH FOX: "People are sort of fact-checking what they have heard from a doctor. Our studies show that people are still very likely to turn to a health
professional when they need a diagnosis or are planning a treatment."
苏珊娜：“人们上网搜索多少有验证医生诊断的意图。我们的研究表明，人们在需要诊断或准备进行治疗时，还是很可能转向于健康专家。”
Forty-four percent of people are actually looking for doctors or other providers when they search for health information online.
44%的民众上网搜索健康信息实际是在寻找医生或其他医疗机构。
Another finding of the survey: Two-thirds of Internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical condition.
这项调查的另一个发现是：2/3的互联网用户上网查阅特定疾病或健康状况的相关信息。
The Internet has also become an important source of emotional support for people with health problems. Susannah Fox says one in five Internet users has gone
online to find other people who have the same condition.
互联网也成为存在健康问题的人们获得情感支持的重要来源。苏珊娜表示，1/5的互联网用户都曾上网去寻找患有相同疾病的其他人。
SUSANNAH FOX: "It was more prevalent among people with more serious health issues -- one in four people living with chronic disease. And it was basically off
the charts with people living with rare disease. They are so eager to find other people online who share their health concerns."
苏珊娜：“这种情况（指上网搜索举动）在病情比较严重的病人中更为普遍--1/4的民众患有慢性病。同时它在患有罕见疾病的病人中更为突出，他们非常渴望在网上找到其他病友
一起讨论他们的健康问题。”
A disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than two hundred thousand people worldwide. The rise of social networking has made it easier for people with
rare diseases to connect with each other and feel less alone.
一种疾病如果在全球范围内患病人数少于20万，就会被定义为罕见疾病。社交网络的兴起使得患有罕见疾病的人更容易与其他病友交流，从而不再感觉那么孤独。
Social networking is also changing the way some doctors and patients communicate with each other.
社交网络也正在改变一些医生和病人之间相互沟通的方式。
Dr. Jeff Livingston operates a medical center for women in Irving, Texas. His office uses password-protected software to share information with patients.
杰夫·利文斯顿（Jeff Livingston）医生在德克萨斯州欧文市开设了一家妇女医疗中心。该中心使用加密软件和病人共享信息。
JEFF LIVINGSTON: "We provide the patient full access to their medical care. Anything I can see, the patient can see. All of their notes, all of their doctor
visits are right there. All of their lab work is right there."
利文斯顿：“我们向病人开放其医疗保健的全部权限。我们能看到的信息，病人也能看到。病人所有的病例、就诊情况、检测结果都能通过该软件看到。”
Dr. Livingston says the software has increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved relations with patients.
利文斯顿医生表示，该软件提高了效率，降低了成本，还改善病患关系。
JEFF LIVINGSTON: "It has just revolutionized the way we do health care."
利文斯顿：“这款软件彻底改变了我们从事医疗工作的方式。”
His medical center also has a Facebook page, a MySpace page and a Twitter feed.
他的医疗中心在Facebook、MySpace开设了网页，还通过Twitter获得反馈。