A new report by Health Unlimited and Foresight Factory has highlighted
consumers’ increasing realisation that the government will not be their health
safety net as they age.
This belief is one of many highlighted
in the report: ‘Tapping
into Consumer Trends to Improve Health’, a result of a survey of over 4,000 participants in four countries which
captured attitudes and perceived future behaviours towards health and wellbeing.
When planning for future care, in
the U.K., Generation Y is vastly outpacing
Baby Boomers. Whereas 31 per cent of Generation Y are planning for their future
healthcare needs, only 17 per cent of Baby
Boomers are doing the same.
As Christophe Jouan, CEO of
Foresight Factory commented: “This data is very consistent with a couple of
long-term trends we have been monitoring over recent years. In many aspects,
Millenials appear more risk-averse than previous generations and are keen to
take matters into their own hands, rather than relying on governmental
institutions. Being visibly in control – whether of one’s health or one’s
finances – is a strong aspiration for them.”
Beyond their own care, only a
third (33 per cent) of UK participants believed that it was the responsibility
of grown-up children to take care of their elderly parents. This is the lowest
percentage of those surveyed across Europe.
The report also looked at our fear
of age-related conditions. Globally, thirty one per cent reported that heart,
cardiovascular disease and stroke were the conditions that they most feared
developing in the next 10 years, closely followed by Alzheimer’s and dementia
(30 per cent). When probed
further, respondents noted that fear of mental deterioration was bigger than
their fear of loneliness, with 80 per cent agreeing with the statement ‘Losing my memory would be like losing my
identity’.
In
the UK, a quarter (25 per cent) of consumers surveyed reported that they are
looking for pharmaceutical companies to provide them with more information and
education on illnesses and treatments. Almost three quarters (72 per cent)
reported that maintaining a healthy lifestyle was important to them, with 58
per cent reporting that they could be doing more to manage their health.
“Consumers
are looking to maintain a healthier lifestyle. This data provides valuable
insights into attitudes and beliefs, which will help companies like Health
Unlimited better understand audiences and
support positive health-related decision making” said Tim Bird, CEO
Health Unlimited.
When
ranking attitudes towards a selection of healthcare institutions, the UK pharmaceutical
industry ranked most favourably among the four countries surveyed, with 34 per
cent saying they felt positively about the role the pharmaceutical industry
plays in the UK healthcare system.
Health Unlimited is a healthcare communications agency
helping clients solve the world’s complex and challenging health issues. They partnered
with Foresight Factory, a consumer
analytics company specialising in trends to identify the main trends in
consumers’ approach to health and gain valuable insight into future healthcare
attitudes and behaviours.
Effective communication in
today’s fast-moving world requires a deep understanding of the world consumers
live in, what motivates them, and their fears and uncertainties about the
future, especially when it comes to their health.
The
findings represent a segment of the insights gathered. Health Unlimited and Foresight
Factory have an array of data to better help organisations understand the
needs of consumers, and how best to engage with
them to help support positive behaviour change. One of the more
interesting aspects of the survey is that it allows us to look at global trends
as well as differences between the countries studied. Data can be cut by age, sex, location
and numerous other variants.
Tim Bird continues: “Supporting positive health and lifestyle
behaviour change can only be done through deep understanding of the needs of
consumers today and tomorrow. At Health Unlimted, we are commited to developing
insight-driven programmes that change lives of people living with
health-related issues across the world.”
For more information please see www.healthunlimited.com/insights/
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Health Unlimited is a global integrated
health consultancy and communications agency that is committed to better
understanding consumer attitudes so it can deliver on its mission to leverage
these trends and create something special for clients. Our commitment to
creating insight-led programmes builds on our rich understanding of audiences. www.healthunlimited.com
Contact: Sarah Gordon – sarah.gordon@unlimitedgroup.com / +44 208 392 8042
Foresight Factory (formerly Future Foundation) is a consumer analytics company, specialising in
trends. We blend data to predict and size commercial opportunity and have
partnered with our clients over 20 years to help them be truly customer centric
in their decision-making. Our expertise is understanding what consumers
worldwide want now and in the future and translating this into recommendations
for brand management, product development, loyalty, customer service delivery
and other key touch points on the consumer journey.
www.foresightfactory.co
Contact: Agathe Acchiardo - agathea@foresightfactory.co / +44 203 096 6380