The Edelman Health Barometer 2011 examined the technology and digital platforms that people use to make health decisions and manage/track their health. According to early findings, these differences cause the global population to cluster into five segmentations along a spectrum of digital engagement in health -- actionists, followers, participants, traditionalists and offliners.

1. Health Barometer 2011
Spectrum of Digital Engagement in Health
DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT IN HEALTH
METHODOLOGY
EDELMAN HEALTH BAROMETER 2011
READ ONLINE READ WATCH USE TECH* SHARE LINKS PUBLISH/ POST POST STATUS COMMENT ON CREATE/ • 15,000+ general population respondents interviewed
FORUMS, PRODUCT VIDEOS FOR HEALTH MAINTAIN PRODUCTS UPDATES ONLINE PUBLISH
MESSAGE CUSTOMER FORUMS, VIDEOS across 12 markets
BLOGS RATINGS/
BOARDS, RATINGS/ REVIEWS COMMUNITIES, DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT IN HEALTH
BLOGS REVIEWS BLOGS
• Actionists and Followers segmented using a principal
SOURCES USED TO MAKE HEALTH DECISIONS components factor analysis
00101
• Participants, Traditionalists, and Offliners
0
1
segmented using a cross-tabulation analysis
0
10010 • Icon placement & gradation determined by significance;
significance defined at the 95% confidence level
TRADITIONAL CONVERSATIONS CONVERSATIONS HEALTH- ONLINE HEALTH DIGITAL
SOURCES WITH WITH FRIENDS RELATED SEARCH TRACKING SOURCES
HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY WEBSITES ENGINES DEVICES
PROFESSIONALS
OFFLINERS TRADITIONALISTS PARTICIPANTS FOLLOWERS ACTIONISTS
NEVER USE THE INTERNET FOR USE INTERNET FOR HEALTH USE INTERNET FOR HEALTH USE INTERNET FOR HEALTH USE INTERNET FOR HEALTH
HEALTH INFORMATION INFORMATION BUT NOT INFORMATION LESS THAN WEEKLY INFORMATION AT LEAST WEEKLY INFORMATION AT LEAST WEEKLY
DIGITIALLY ENGAGED most likely to be
18-30 yrs
00101
00101 0
0 1
1 0
0 10010
10010
00101
0
1
7%
0
10010
of the global population
14%
23% of the global population 21%
35%
of the global population
of the global population
of the global population
LEAST MOST
DIGITALLY DIGITALLY
ENGAGED ENGAGED
*Tech includes software applications, online services or mobile ‘app’ Edelman.com/healthbarometer | #EHB2011