Since 2005, the number of patients using the Internet to research prescription drug information has doubled to 102.3 million. Similarly, the overall number of eHealth Consumers, those online for any health and medical information, has also grown significantly over the past four years. This market now stands at 157.5 million consumers, or 1.6 times the number of eHealth Consumers in 2005. These findings come from Cybercitizen Health™ v9.0, the latest consumer study from pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research. The market research and strategic advisory service is focused on how consumers use new media and technology for health information and its impact on treatment and product decisions.
The Cybercitizen Health™ study has found that the major theme of the digital health landscape over the past four years is the increasing diversity of the overall patient media mix. Health-related social media, in particular, has flourished in recent years with the increased popularity of online patient communities, social networking and Health 2.0 applications. When faced with health and prescription drug decisions, the average consumer relies on a variety of channels and resources for information and support - decreasing advertisersâ ability to target a particular audience through any single media outlet.
"The savvy marketer doesnât look at marketing in terms of 'online vs. offline'," said Mark Bard, president of Manhattan Research, "Today's media consumption is so fragmented that brands need a well-connected, multichannel strategy to keep pace with the evolving consumer market. Additionally, marketers must tailor their brand strategies in accordance to the media preferences and behaviors of individual patient groups, as disease-type is a critical factor in how consumers seek out medical information."
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 www.manhattanresearch.com.
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 www.decisionresourcesinc.com.