Women, young adults, and those who have seen higher premiums or cost sharing are more likely to research information regarding health care costs, quality and access in an effort to make informed decisions, according to a new survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

The EBRI/MGA 2010 Health Confidence Survey examined a variety of health care issues, including Americans' satisfaction with health care, confidence in the health care system's future and the Medicare program, and attitudes toward health care reform.

Based on the research, 45 percent of respondents reported having tried to find health information about the advantages and disadvantages of different treatments, but only 14 percent attempted to find information about the number of disciplinary actions taken against a doctor or hospital.