Consumers and the Evolving Digital Health Information Journey (Research & Insights)

Background: With consumers becoming increasingly reliant on digital resources, Edelman conducted a nationwide study to explore the “e-patient journey,” uncover preferences for digital health information, and examine what online content drives actions like sharing and behavior change.

Program background: Edelman’s 2015 Digital Health Survey explored consumers' interaction with digital health resources and how it varies by generation and role in family healthcare decisions.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Edelman conducted an online survey of n=1,500 adults ages 18+ nationwide who used digital resources for health and wellness information within the past year. Soft quotas were set for gender, age, region, race/ethnicity, and presence of children in the household. The survey was fielded May 22-June 12, 2015.

• The type of online health information sought varies by lifestage and role in family healthcare decisions. Similar to their parents’ generation, Millennials primarily seek information about symptoms (68%); however, they are more likely than older generations to interact with content about healthcare providers (61%) and insurance (49%). Seniors use online sources for information on specific diseases/conditions (69%) and medications (57%). Caregivers seek information to inform decisions about their loved ones’ routine and treatment (36%).
• Government websites are trusted but not top-of-mind. Consumers trust government websites for online health information (64%) – more than pharmaceutical companies (53%), general news sites (51%), and social networks (40%) but less than healthcare providers (76%) and general health websites (83%). Consumers are more likely to first visit general health websites (46%) than government websites (3%).
• Consumers are looking for detailed, direct online health content. Consumers prefer online health content with very detailed, clinical information (38%) or the option to deep-dive into areas of interest (41%), instead of a simple overview (21%). Consumers prefer content that is direct (36%) and instructive (34%) in tone, not personal (18%) or humorous (5%).
• Drivers of sharing online health content differ somewhat from drivers of behavior change. “Telling an interesting story” and “providing entertaining content” are among the top drivers for sharing online health information; however, content that impacts behavior must come from an expert, trusted source.

Conclusions: Consumers are interacting with digital content in new and surprising ways; certain types of digital content (and channels for that content) move people from sharing information to shifting behavior. In addition, consumers want online health content that is detailed, factual and puts them in control; and when it comes to health content, the message is more important than the messenger when it comes to content.

Implications for research and/or practice: Government agencies are in a unique position to influence healthcare decisions and behaviors because they are a trusted authority on public health. It is critical for government communications to optimize content to align with consumer preferences for tone, detail, and level of control. Government agencies must also recognize the range of audiences accessing digital health resources and the similarities and differences in which these audiences engage with digital content.