The last few years pushed the limits of in-person healthcare. Supporting healthy lifestyle habits may be more important than ever, because most US adults are coping with one or more chronic conditions. Healthcare spending focuses more heavily on treatment than prevention, and anxieties over escalating costs are common.
Our health stats reveal some negative trends, but a silver lining is that motivation for health improvements is high. And instead of a quick-fix mentality, many want sustainable healthier habits at home. For instance, a recent survey shows that at least one in four US adults are motivated to improve their health on a daily basis. A daily intent is helpful because it emphasizes the importance of repetition. With more repetitions, healthy choices can develop into habits that significantly improve mental and physical health.
If repetition is crucial, how can we help others to make more consistent healthy choices?
Research indicates that this stage of behavior change benefits from frequent nudges. This is a reminder or suggestion to complete a task or behavior, and it offers a simple way to stay on-track. Unlike doctor’s visits, which are valuable but infrequent for most adults, health-promoting digital nudges can be frequent, and they do help us improve our health.
Digital health initiatives shine in this regard, helping to make healthier choices a little easier to achieve. Compared to traditional in-person healthcare and online health education, digital nudges can present timely reminders or suggestions. Ensuring the experience is centered on the user, and not just the outcome, is crucial for success. This includes matching the nudge to the user’s specific health goal and giving them the autonomy to adjust the nudge frequency. Digital nudges help digital health platforms improve health.
Now is an optimal time to introduce digital health tools according to several indices of consumer readiness. Why now?
Health interests are high: Long gone are the days of peak internet searches for mug-cakes and sourdough bread. Instead, searches for healthy eating recipes are on the rise. And related to this, on-demand workouts continue to rank among the top ten trend in fitness. These are signals that many consumers are ready to make changes to improve their health.
Healthcare and economic woes: Most Americans have serious concerns over their access and cost of healthcare. Although the inflation and economic downturn are top-of-mind, this year showed an uptick in google searches for medical procedures that had tapered-off during the pandemic. This suggests that as doctor’s visits resumed, many are planning for upcoming healthcare costs and may have renewed interest in proactive options to manage their health.
New Year New You: Another reason health behavior change is hot is because of the time of year. Google search trends confirm that health interests are often cyclical, with peaks occurring around New Years. Of course, consumers must sift through online sources that push ineffective health advice, but overall, online content has embraced more sensible health behaviors and eschews fast-fix promises.
Informal learning at your fingertips: The quality of internet guidance varies, and can result in information overload. Consumers are eager to cut through the confusion. Digital health platforms can help their members understand the factors that influence their health and wellbeing without competing myths or distracting claims. The best health platforms deliver micro-learning” opportunities to deliver short, bite-sized lessons in an on-demand format for optimal flexibility.
Cook-alongs when you need them most: Healthy cooking is in, but the process of trying a new dish can be intimidating. Cooking along with an instructional video can relieve some of the pressure of getting it right. On-demand options within digital health platforms can take the guesswork out of dinner and help us learn new kitchen skills. Many of these options cater to consumer demand for meals that are fast, healthy, and convenient.
Stress management, anytime, anywhere: Perceptions of stress differ for many reasons, but without coping mechanisms, stress can feel overwhelming. Digital health platforms address resilience by including mind-body practices that help us shift into a calmer state of mind. On-demand options can provide resources at times when we need them most, 24-7. Plus, this format preserves privacy in ways that may help some users try new methods. From mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathwork, users can sample resilience tools and develop new practices to effectively alleviate stress.
Is your group ready to re-engage wellness in 2023? Contact us at info@treowellness.com to see how we can work together to make this year your best one yet.
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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