What types of health information are folks truly interested in? HealthMine, the health portal provider, poked into the question, and found that more than any other health issue, people want to learn more about sleep.

The survey was pretty straightforward. Some 1,200 consumers with self- or employer-sponsored health coverage were asked to review a list of health issues and check off which ones they wanted to learn more about.

Not only did sleep outrank the Big C (cancer), but so did allergies.

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They were also asked how they would like to learn about those conditions. Turns out the largest chunk—48 percent—said they'd use the internet to school themselves.

Another 44 percent said they'd consult a medical professional, and 34 percent cited family and friends as their go-to medical advisors.

That wunderkind, social media, only got 21 percent of the vote, with mobile apps not far behind.

Just for fun, let's take a look at what was on the Top 10 Health Conditions I'm Interested in Learning More About list:

  1. Sleep

  2. Mental illness

  3. Heart conditions

  4. Allergies

  5. Cancer

  6. Diabetes

  7. Arthritis

  8. Memory

  9. Skin cancer

  10. Asthma

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.