Market research firm Parks Associates has announced a new digital health research revealing four digital health consumer segments based on their attitudes toward their health and healthcare solutions: Healthy and Engaged, Challenged but Mindful, Unhealthy and In Denial, and Young and Indifferent. The research found that among all U.S. broadband households, 26% are Healthy and Engaged, 25% are Challenged but Mindful, 28% are Unhealthy and In Denial, and 21% are Young and Indifferent.

The new research, Digital Health Consumers: A Lifestyle and Technology Segmentation analyzes consumer health habits and segments the market according to lifestyles and personal health conditions based on a survey of 2,500 U.S. broadband heads-of-household in 4Q 2013. It then identified which segments are most and least receptive to digital health products and services and provides a demographic and technographic profile of each segment.

Parks Associates’ digital health consumer segments include:

Healthy and Engaged – Health conscious, don’t have chronic health problem (26%)

- Offer the greatest market potential for digital health products and services.

- Regularly exercise and eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

- Have higher incomes, on average.

Challenged but Mindful – Health conscious, have chronic health problem (25%)

- Offer the second-greatest market potential for digital health products and services.

- Regularly exercise and eat fresh fruits and vegetables but have a chronic health condition.

- Older consumer segment; unlikely to have children in the home.

Unhealthy and In Denial – Not health conscious, have chronic health problem (28%)

- Offer the third-greatest market potential for digital health products and services.

- Lower income levels, on average; disproportionately likely to live in the Midwest and South.

- Do not habitually exercise or eat fresh fruits and vegetables; have a chronic health condition.

Young and Indifferent – Not health conscious, don’t have chronic health problem (21%)

- Lowest market potential for digital health products and services.

- Youngest segment; low income levels; least likely to be married.

- Express the most enthusiasm for technology products and services.

- Healthy but do not habitually exercise or eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

The research found that the consumer segment Young and Indifferent reported the highest interest in new technologies; however, they have the lowest concern for their health. Only 28% looked up health information online in the last 12 months.

The market research firm will discuss this research in detail as the host of the Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers on September 4-5 in San Diego and offer implications for consumer engagement strategies for healthcare providers and their health technology partners.

From the article, "New Research Reveals 4 Segments of Digital Health Consumers" by Fred Pennic. 

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