Study: Online Consumer Health Engagement Expanding

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By Mia Burns (mia.burns@ubm.com)
Consumer use of health websites and other online tools to collect information about conditions and treatments is not a new trend, but now consumers are looking to broaden their health activity online, according to Manhattan Research. The healthcare market research and advisory firm has released its Cybercitizen Health U.S. 2013 study that shows consumers are using Internet resources to support healthcare decision-making and to manage conditions. The study surveyed 8,605 U.S. adults online and on the phone in the third quarter of 2013.
According to the study, 45 percent of online U.S. adults with a chronic condition reported that the Internet is essential to managing their disease or condition. Monique Levy, VP of Research at Manhattan Research told Med Ad News Daily that patients are not replacing physician guidance or orders with online research. “We think that this is just broader move toward consumer or patient participation in their care,” she says.
In addition, the study found that online content and services influence how consumers approach health management for themselves and their dependents, with 44 percent of online consumers agreeing that the Internet is essential for their health and medical decision-making.
“We’ve hit an inflection point in the way consumers use the internet for health,” said Rory Stanton, consumer insights analyst at Manhattan Research. “They are going beyond seeking-information to using tools and services to manage the day-to-day aspects of care. That’s good news in this post–healthcare reform environment, in which digital engagement of consumers for example via patient portals and telehealth will be a key to success.”
Manhattan Research says that the study findings highlight key opportunities for various health stakeholders, such as pharma companies, provider networks, and payers, to provide technology-based value added services and empower deeper engagement from end users. “There are also payers and insurance companies who are advancing their strategies to engage with patients,” Levy told Med Ad News Daily.
Digital tools and online health services poised to play key role in consumer health management, study finds