MRM for Heath Study Finds We Are Sicker, More Fatigued and More Disconnected than Ever Before

MRM for Health, the dedicated healthcare practice of MRM, today released its first global study, ‘The Truth About Our Relationships with Health.’ In a time when 7 in 10 people worldwide are struggling or suffering in their lives, it unearths the difficulties and disparities impeding meaningful, effective, and widespread health delivery, while calling on brands to build bridges across vital connection points in our health relationships. A meta-analysis of existing quantitative, ethnographic, search, and social research conducted in more than 20 countries, the study supports McCann Worldgroup’s commitment to a Well World and its continuing research connecting sustainability with wellness.

“It is with intent that we’ve launched our first global health study on World Health Day, a day dedicated to drawing attention to global health concerns,” said Peter Rooney, managing director of MRM for Health. “Our study examines the causes and consequences of living in a world where healing has become separated from healthcare, and speaks to the opportunity for brands to help repair that divide by driving new and positive behaviours across health relationships — the kind that benefit all.” 

The study epitomises the mission of MRM for Health to ‘decode the science of relationships to advance health for all.’ As the new global healthcare centre of excellence for the MRM network, MRM for Health builds on the agency’s 25-year heritage in the healthcare sector and rich history in data-driven marketing to partner with brands in the health space to impact, enhance, and evolve relationships across the entire spectrum of health. 

Analysing the world of health from both the structural and societal perspective, the study details five key truths beneath our fraying relationship with health: 

Truth 01 – The Great ‘Healthcare Trust’ Recession: From patients to providers, the covid-19 pandemic accelerated growing distrust in the healthcare system, driving a credibility deficit at the worst possible time.

Truth 02 – Postal Code: A Better Predictor of Health than Genetic Code: With up to 60% of health being governed by where we live, social determinants of health are playing a significant role, maybe the most significant, in predicting overall well-being. 

Truth 03 – We Have Never Felt More Vulnerable: Our renewed focus on health has led people to a heightened sense of vulnerability for themselves and those close to them, with search volume worldwide on stress, mental health, and related topics almost doubling between 2019 and 2020 - before doubling (and beyond) in the next 12 months.

Truth 04 – People are Recalibrating their Behaviours in Health: From a general seeking of greater well-being to The Great Resignation, there’s profound urgency on the need to find balance, but also uncertainty in how to achieve it — prompting both new behaviours and additional stresses.

Truth 05 – Data Technology & Distribution of Care are Widening the Divides: While the power to track body temperature, sleep cycles, glucose, and other vital signs is increasingly in our own hands, there’s a delta between the data patients may perceive to be valuable and how healthcare providers can realistically apply the information collected.

The full study and executive summary are available upon request. More information can be found here.