Top 5 consumer health concerns

A more personalized approach to health and well-being programs is needed, according to a new survey.

A new multigenerational survey, 2017 Consumer Health POV, shows an immediate need for a more holistic approach to health and well-being, including physical, emotional, and financial support.

Three consumer health companies, Welltok, meQuilibrium and Zipongo, conducted a national survey of 2,000 full-time employees with equal representation across age, region, income, and marital status, to gain new insights on how well-being, stress triggers, and eating habits across multiple demographics. 

Snyder

“Lifestyle and environment makes up 70% of consumers’ health status,” says Michelle Snyder, CMO of Welltok. “This study was conducted to better understand what’s on consumers’ minds related to topics such as stress and eating habit that impact their daily health. The insights help population health managers identify and prioritize health and well-being support.          

“By understanding what’s weighing on American consumers’ minds, population health managers can prioritize what will help improve consumers’ health and well-being,” Snyder says.

According to the survey, the top five health concerns on the minds of consumers and how managed care executives can help, from most important to least important, are:

1.   Financial stability. “Offer programs such as financial counseling, financial planning, retirement planning, etc.,” Snyder says.

2.   Positive relationships. Offer social programs like community-sponsored volunteering, community-based activities, etc.

3.   Healthy eating habits. The majority of consumers (88%) experience challenges to eating healthy, mostly due to time constraints, and a quarter are influenced by the people around them when it comes to those eating habits. “Provide personalized dietary recommendations and healthy lunch options,” Snyder says.

4.   Adequate sleep. Encourage “signing-off” past certain time (i.e., not checking email, not doing work after hours), provide sleep counselors.

5.   Manageable stress levels. More than 90% of Americans report experiencing stress in their lives, and nearly 60% recognize that stress is negatively impacting their quality of sleep. “Offer resiliency training/stress management programs, employee assistance programs and counseling services,” Snyder says