In general, large Healthcare organizations focus most attention on Boomers. This is an obvious choice – after all, they are the generation that demands more from the healthcare system. At their age, the inevitable challenges related to the ageing process make them important consumers of health and wellness information. Their need for treatments that safeguard their quality of life and independence positions them at the top of the pyramid as targets for healthcare marketers.
But as Millennials get older, many members of this generation (26%) have become caregivers – both looking after their own families and caring for their parents. In view of the changing demographics and the increasing caregiv
Unrecognizable grandmother and her granddaughter holding hands.
er role played by Millennials, Weber Shandwick, in collaboration with KRC Research, is releasing a study based on a survey of 1,700 Americans adults – who span from Gen Z through the Silent/Greatest generation – that focuses on how they get health-related information and assess its credibility. With a large healthcare practice, the study reveals the urgency in providing data-driven information to our clients on how to communicate to millennials about healthcare issues.
The study, “The Great American Search for Healthcare Information,” confirms another research study showing that Millennials are more likely to identify with the caregiver role than any other generation. Therefore, healthcare marketers can no longer think of them as a secondary target. Healthcare organizations need to invest more time to understand Millennials and their attitudes towards healthcare, in order to develop campaigns that successfully influence them.
Source: The Great American Search for Healthcare Information, Weber Shandwick & KRC Research, 2018
The research highlights some notable differences between Millennials and other generations in how they handle healthcare information. To begin with, the Millennial generation, born between 1981 and 1996, shows a higher level of, than previous generations regarding the value of information from medical professionals. Even when discussing information obtained through their healthcare provider, they are less likely to be satisfied with physicians’ explanations. Additionally, Millennials are the generation most likely to agree that health-related information on the Internet is just as reliable as information from medical professionals. This is not too surprising since the generation is so digital and has grown up with health apps, patient advocate websites, and an abundance of online health information and guidance. However, as more of this generation begins to take on a caregiver role, medical professionals will increasingly contend with a Millennial trust problem.
Source: The Great American Search for Healthcare Information, Weber Shandwick & KRC Research, 2018
The lessons for healthcare communicators and their clients is that influencing Millennials and impacting change in this group will require communications strategies that are far more engaging, with highly credible information. Clearly, influencing a Millennial to take action is going to require more effort: campaigns with integrated surround sound, extensive content strategy and consistent repetition of messages via multiple highly credible channels.
Healthcare organizations urgently need to address this generation’s distrust. As Millennials age, their influence will only grow. Let’s not disregard the impact that a whole generation of healthcare cynics will have on global health outcomes. It may lead to a world without vaccination or proper disease prevention. It is time to invest in rebuilding Millennials’ trust in the healthcare system and improving their dialogue with its most qualified gatekeepers.
Source: LinkedIn
The post The Next Caregiver | Millennial and Their Search for Healthcare Information appeared first on Unmukt Festival 2018.
