Health 2.0 on the Rise – 35% of U.S. Adults Use Social Media for Medical Information

Manhattan Research’s Cybercitizen Health™ study details how patients engage in social media for health – Webinar October 14, 11am

October 7, 2009, New York, NY – About 35% of the U.S. adult population uses social media for health and medical purposes in 2009, according to pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research’s Cybercitizen Health™ v9.0. These 80 million Health 2.0 Consumers create or consumer content on health blogs, message boards, chat rooms, health social networks and health communities, and patient testimonials.

Though the Health 2.0 market grew substantially in the past year, it still represents just one of many online resources consumers use to get health information. Furthermore, survey results suggest that not all user-generated content is influential. In 2009, a minority of consumers report they are influenced by Health 2.0 media. But Health 2.0 Consumers are an important group to watch, especially for brand teams focused on the therapeutic segments that rely on user-generated content more than others, such as patients suffering from mental health conditions, fibromyalgia, and ADD/ADHD.

“While there’s no doubt that social media is a critical area for pharmaceutical marketers, it’s still just one piece of the overall consumer media mix,” said Monique Levy, Senior Director of Research at Manhattan Research, “Our consumer research shows that user-generated content is an important influential resource for certain therapeutic segments, suggesting social media is more of a priority for some brands than others.”

Register for Cybercitizen Health™ Webinar

President Mark Bard will discuss today’s digital health market and its effect on marketing and consumer engagement in an upcoming webinar on October 14, 2009 at 11am EDT. The session is a preview of the rich consumer market data and insights available to clients of the Cybercitizen Health™ v9.0 market research and strategic advisory service and will offer tips and trends to help healthcare marketers determine an optimal media mix when targeting patient audiences. Topics include health-related media consumption across traditional and alternative resource channels, use of social media for health, emerging media formats like online video, use of major online health networks like WebMD and Everyday Health, and mobile health applications.

Cybercitizen Health™ 2009: Connecting with Patients Online for Health
Wednesday, October 14, 11:00 – 11:30 AM EDT
Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/968476938

About Cybercitizen Health™ v9.0

Cybercitizen Health™ v9.0 was fielded in Q3 2009 among 8,600 U.S. adults (ages 18+). The consumer market research and strategic advisory service focuses on how consumers use new media and technology for health and its impact on treatment and product decisions. In addition to the data, clients receive strategic deliverables including research reports, client briefings, and access to the Manhattan Research analyst team to answer specific questions. Broad consumer research can also be segmented to derive insight into a wide range of eHealth preferences and behaviors for over 100 therapeutic groups. For additional product and subscription information, please visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com/cch.

About Manhattan Research

Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a leading market research and advisory services firm for global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. For more information, visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com, email sales@manhattanresearch.com or call 1.888.680.0800.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at http://www.decisionresourcesinc.com.

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