Richard Edelman: Social comes to health

By Richard Edelman | @richardwedelman

Cross posted from Richard Edelman’s Blog

The Edelman Health Barometer 2011, released last week in Europe, indicates a profound impact of friends and family on personal health, now comparable in importance to health care providers. This dispersion of authority is a consistent theme in the 12 country, 15,000 person survey. In fact, after themselves, nearly half (43%) of respondents believe their friends and family have the most impact on their lifestyle as it relates to health and over a third (36%) believe friends and family have the most impact on personal nutrition.

The three most important sources of information on health decisions are conversations with health professionals (45%), discussions with friends and family (32%) and health related websites (29%), with several mainstream media options trailing at 20-27%. The most credible spokespeople are clinicians: physicians (88%), pharmacists (81%), nurses (77%) and nutritionist/dieticians (75%), as well as academics (72%). There is an important role for “someone living with the disease” (65%) or friend/family member (55%). Celebrities are not trusted at all (17%) unless they also belong to one of the afore-cited categories, an important call-out to PR people and marketers; nor are government regulators (31%). Commercial interest, however, does not detract from credibility—by a five or six to one ratio, pharmaceutical companies are seen as credible sources of health related information. The power of expertise in evidence again.

I was amazed to learn that nearly a third of people (31%), predominantly those with healthy behaviors, distance themselves from friends who engage in unhealthy behaviors. A larger proportion (44%) do not factor health into decisions on social interaction—these tend to be those with less healthy behaviors consuming less health information.

What you begin to understand is the virtuous, inherently social circle of health and the downward spiral of poor health behavior. The study confirms that the primary trigger for “personal health advocacy” is to improve the long term health of another person. Meanwhile, half of those who initiated behavior change surveyed said that they had failed to change a negative health behavior, relapsing because they enjoyed it, were addicted, or didn’t experience the benefits of making the change soon enough. This is pretty powerful indication that key to change that really sticks is early, engaging reinforcement.

Personal health devices and technologies are helping, with nearly 7 in 10 people who use them finding them helpful in improving their health. But only 20% of those surveyed are using such instruments.

Both Business and Government are receiving failing grades for their roles in health. US Business gets bad marks on nutrition (52% negative), environment (60% negative) and Healthcare system (60% negative)—government rates somewhat better. In Europe the story for business is even worse, with about twice as many negative as positive on business’ role in nutrition, environment, lifestyle and health care system, with government again faring only slightly better in most categories. Note that globally, 82 percent of respondents said it was important for business to improve and maintain the health of the public but only 32 percent said business is currently doing a good job of it.

The opportunity for Business and Government is best described by the new expectation of health; for 80%of the public surveyed, it means more than being disease-free. People want support from institutions as employers, educators, innovators and information sources to help them change behavior, sustain a healthier lifestyle, and make a positive difference in others’ well-being. Individuals who lead in business, government and civil society have a particularly substantial remit by dint of our health influence in professional and public spheres as well as personal.

I can tell you from my own bizarre experience with prostate cancer that I am more committed than ever to eating right, sleeping enough hours, working out, going for regular medical check-ups, and turning off my Blackberry at 9 pm. And to creating a climate that makes it easier for others to do the same. You can evolve if you try hard enough.