Social Media Impact in Making Medical Decisions
- My Practice reputation report opined that the use of social media in the healthcare industry has skyrocketed.
- According to a survey of 2,204 U.S. adults conducted on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), 32% of respondents said they had taken a health-related action such as "modifying their diet, taking a dietary supplement, changing their exercise routine or trying an alternative treatment based on information they read on social media."
- 15% of parents with children below 18 have self-diagnosed a health concern based on information found on social media.
- 54% of millennials (18 to 34 years) and 42% of all adults are or would like to be friends with or follow their health care professionals on social media.
- 65% of millennials and 43% of all adults "think it is appropriate to use social media to contact their physician about a health issue, either by posting a message on the physician's web page or via direct message."
- Another report by Mediabistro opined that over 40% of customers agree that the information found on social media impacts how they handle their healthcare.
- 90% of millennials are reported to trust healthcare information shared by people on social media.
- Another report by Demi & Cooper Advertising and D.C. Interactive Group suggests that 41% of respondents said social media influenced their choice of a doctor, facility, or medical practice.
- Also, 33% of U.S. customers make use of social media in searching for health-related data.
- 40% of people think information found on social media impacts how they cope with a chronic illness, view their healthcare regimen, and choose a doctor.
- A study by PwC Health Research indicated that over 75% of Americans use social media to research their health symptoms.
- 42% of individuals searching for health information on social media look at health-related consumer reviews.
Summary
From our initial search, we were unable to identify any pre-compiled report, survey, studies, or publication with information on the percentage of people that have or plan to search for a medical practice/physician via social media based on different age groups. We have therefore, provided information of the agegroups found in the public domain.