DURING THE SUMMER OF 1955, THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER CONDUCTED A NATIONWIDE HEALTH INFORMATION SURVEY OF RANDOMLY SELECTED AND STRATIFIED SAMPLES OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PHYSICIANS, AND PHARMACISTS AS PART OF A RESEARCH PROGRAM FOCUSING ON THE PATTERNS OF MEDICAL CARE USE THEN PREVALENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS MONOGRAPH IS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY, SUPPLEMENTED BY FINDINGS OF MORE RECENT INVESTIGATIONS, AND TREATS THE ACQUISITION OF HEALTH INFORMATION AS AN ASPECT OF ADULT LEARNING. CHAPTERS COVER (1) RESEARCH DESIGN AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SAMPLING PROCEDURES AND QUESTIONNAIRES, (2) THE GAP BETWEEN MEDICAL PRACTICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND WHAT IS DESIRABLE, ESTIMATES OF THE LEVEL OF UTILIZATION OF MEDICAL CARE, AND COMPARISONS WITH LEVELS DURING EARLIER PERIODS AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES, (3) BELIEFS THAT FACILITATE THE EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS, THE EXTENT TO WHICH MEDICINE AND PHYSICIANS ARE RESPECTED THROUGHOUT THE POPULATION, AND THE PUBLIC'S SATISFACTION WITH MEDICAL CARE, (4) GROUP DIFFERENCES IN LEVELS OF HEALTH INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SOURCES, AND (5) THE GENERAL PROBLEMS OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AS THEY APPLY TO SURVEY RESULTS. THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES THE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FOR DOCTORS, AND FOR PHARMACISTS, 27 TABLES, AND REFERENCES. IT IS AVAILABLE FROM ALDINE PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO. 274 PAGES. (AJ)