The Edelman Health Barometer: What Does it Say About our World?

David Armano, EVP for Global Innovation and Integration at Edelman Digital had an interesting presentation at the Mashable Social Good Summit held in New York this afternoon. He discussed the digital innovations that are available to aid in the greatest health challenges people face globally and how social media can impact behavior.



Armano stated that the Edelman Health Barometer 2011 was created by interviewing 15,000 individuals from around the globe to discover the extent of how people use the internet and how their choices on healthy living are determined. First of all, the term “health” has now become relative as the old idea of “absence of disease” is no longer the deciding factor. Functioning body, mental and emotional health and a balanced and nutritious diet all are contributing attributes. Armano explained that there is “not one global definition of what health is anymore.”

The second point of Edelman Digital’s survey was to determine how social media impacts health choices. They first acknowledged that there are different levels of internet involvement: 7% are “traditionalists” and are net active, 14% are “followers” and aren’t producing content but are consuming information, 23% are “offliners” and are not connected, 35% are “participants” and are engaged and comment on blogs, and 21% are “actionists” and actually are able to influence others to change their behavior.
Once these groups were established, the Edelman Barometer discovered that in developed markets 71% of participants tried to change their negative health habits with 46% of those returning to their former ways. In emerging markets, 45% tried to change their unhealthy ways and 61% of those relapsed.

So with all of this information, how does this influence the non-profit industry?

First of all, it is interesting to note the high percentage of people who use the internet and are active users. Secondly, many people try to change for the better only to go back to their bad habits. (Can anyone say “New Year’s resolutions?) Finally, Armano suggests that by making tools more accessible to those who need them, accountability and a sustainable change can be made. For example, he used an app he found for runners. By relying on one another for motivation, supporting positive behaviors and creating a support group, accountability is established and creates an environment for success. Who knows what we can achieve both with our health and with helping others through the use of the internet?

To read the complete findings discussed in this article, please go to: http://bit.ly/rllS0q
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