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also decreases with age. While 56 percent of seniors

Internet.

among handheld device users, both african

EmERGiNG mAJORiTiES’ AND

age 65-69 are online, only 45 percent age 70-75

americans and Hispanics are more likely to go online using

SOCiAl mEDiA

years and 27 percent age 76+ years are online.

their handheld device than Whites (48 percent and 47

percent versus 28 percent, respectively).

african americans and Hispanics now outpace

Whites in their use of social media. Only 31

further, of the 61 percent of american adults

percent of Whites online have a profile on a

Select

who go online for health information, only 27

research also indicates that emerging majorities are using

social networking site, whereas 43 percent of

Consumer to

Traditional

percent are 65 years and older.

Seniors are also

social media technologies in greater numbers than Whites.

african americans and 48 percent of Hispanics

Consumer

Channels

significantly less likely to access user-generated

a recent study by the Pew Internet & american life

online do.

content related to health when compared with

Project revealed that Whites are less likely than african

Radio

EXAMPLE

adults ages 18 to 49 years, and e-patients ages

americans or Hispanics to have a profile on a social

“Mommy bloggers” may

30-64 are more likely than older e-patients to

networking site (31 percent versus 43 percent and 48

Television

interact and share advice about

have tagged health-related content online.

percent, respectively), suggesting that social media may

60%

parenting with their peers

be a highly effective means to reach emerging majority

through a digital platform.

iNSiGHTS ON SENiORS fOR pUBliC HEAlTH-

audiences.

Whites are also less likely to use status update

50%

Direct Mail

RElATED SOCiAl mEDiA OUTREACH

services, such as Twitter – only 19 percent of Whites use

Association or

these services whereas 26 percent of african americans

Provider to

One-on-one outreach

professional

40%

■ Consider starting offline.

Most seniors still

society

do so.

Provider

Event marketing &

rely on traditional media networks such as

traditional media outreach

30%

newspapers and television to obtain information.

In regards to health, african american and Hispanic

EXAMPLE

and while this is slowly changing, seniors still

e-patients are more likely than Whites to report that

Nurses can connect and share

stories through nursing blogs or

need encouragement offline to begin looking

their last online health session had a major impact

20%

Physician

social media networks created

for content online. for example, incorporating

(26% and 16% versus 11%, respectively).

Yet african

Select

portals

exclusively for nurses.

■ Watch for growth in social media adoption.

links to social media networks and interactive

americans and Hispanics are less likely than Whites to

10%

Digital

Medicare-eligible consumers should no longer

websites, within the confines of traditional

research a medical problem online, search for information

Channels

be considered “unreachable” via social media

advertising platforms, may encourage senior

for prescription drugs and look for information about

Institution to

channels. Seniors’ social media usage grew

consumers to engage in a social media campaign.

doctors or health professionals.

Provider

Websites

significantly between 2007 and 2009, and research

adoption may be lower than other consumer

Drug reference

Whites

suggests that more growth is likely on the way.

tools or

segments, but can still be impactful.

E-mail

Unfortunately, the growth in emerging majorities’ use of

African

databases

Social marketers and public health communicators

EXAMPLE

social media technologies has not resulted in improved

Americans

Text messaging

The Centers for Disease Control

should take note of this trend, and watch for

Hispanics

■ Look to influencers and intervening audiences.

access to care among these populations. This may be

and Prevention (CDC) may

other social media trends among americans

Many seniors rely on a network of caregivers to

due in part to a lack of comprehensive health insurance.

position advertisement or

Optimized press releases

65 and older.

blog post on Sermo, a social

manage their personal health. This network can

available via the Internet

In 2009, the U.S. department of Health and Human

network designed exclusively

Source: Pew research Center, 2009

include adult children, grandchildren or local health

Services labeled uninsurance an “important contributor”

for licensed physicians.

Online journals

Social Media

care providers, and these individuals are among

to disparities in health care, and subsequent studies by the

2.1.4 Emerging majorities

seniors’ most trusted sources of information

Kaiser family foundation have reported that emerging

100

200

300 400

500 600

Networks such as Facebook

regarding how, when and where to obtain care.

majorities such as african americans and Hispanics are

and MySpace, message boards

Institution to

This network can also be leveraged to encourage

and forums, blogs, wikis,

less likely than Whites to be insured.

26,27

accordingly,

The social media environment is becoming

Consumer

podcasts, photo services such

more seniors, via word of mouth techniques, to

specific emerging majorities are more likely to have

increasingly ethnically and socio-economically

as Flickr, video services such

Literature

use social media to obtain public health-related

less access to health care and experience poorer health

diverse. emerging majorities such as african

as YouTube, and status update

databases

EXAMPLE

information online. doctors can encourage senior

outcomes compared with Whites, making it all the more

services such as Twitter.

americans and Hispanics, who are often wrongly

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

patients to “log on” and learn more about

critical to reach this consumer segment with effective

associated with a “digital divide” or a gap in

(MADD) may post information

medications. Children and grandchildren can teach

public health-specific messaging.

about drunk driving prevention

Internet access and use caused by a variety of

20% 40%

60% 80% 100%

on its Facebook page.

parents and grandparents how to use social

socioeconomic and cultural factors, are one of the

media networks to interact with fellow seniors.

fastest growing and most dynamic users of social

all of these digital interventions can have a

media technologies. The emergence of smartphone

profound impact on seniors’ adoption of social

technology, combined with less expensive computers

media technologies.

and greater public Internet access has fueled this

growth. according to the Pew Internet & american

life Project, african americans are now the

fastest-growing and most active users of the mobile

Using Social Media Platforms To Amplify Public Health Messages (White Paper) - Ogilvy Washington, Georgetown University'S Center For Social Impact Communication Page 11

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