The consumer health information (CHI) movement is the result of various twentieth-century ideologies and is an outgrowth of the broader consumer movement. From a sociocultural and political perspective, the consumer, civil rights, and women's movements and related societal shifts helped pave the way for the consumer health movement, which laid the foundation for the CHI movement. All are examples of freedom of choice expressed through action and mirror a growing societal determination to exert control over important areas of one's life. The provision of consumer health information is a necessary support mechanism for that portion of health care focused on investing in risk reduction and shared decision making. As changes in the U.S. health-care system occur over time, access to CHI is likely to remain prominent and increasingly important to the ordinary person. Examining key components of the movement's origins helps elucidate both present and future trends. (Contains 5 tables and 5 footnotes.)