AIPM: 9 out of 10 Hungarians completely trust health influencers

They know where to get health information, but few people check its authenticity – this was revealed in a representative survey conducted by Szinapszis Kft. on behalf of the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM).

According to the research, 60 percent of Hungarians know where to independently search for information about health and illness, while only 40 percent said the same about the treatment of mental and psychological problems. 7 out of 10 people admit to obtaining information about their health from more than one source. However, only 47 percent say that they regularly ask a healthcare professional whether the health information they find is reliable. And only six out of ten agree that if they find new health information, they will check it to see if it is really authentic.

Award for initiatives supporting health literacy

Among other reasons, this year the AIPM announced the Health Literacy Award, which rewards the most innovative initiatives supporting health literacy. Anyone who has created something new in the field of health literacy can apply for the competition until November 3, whether it is an individual applicant, civil organization, local community or healthcare institution.

Dr. Katalin Szalóki, Director of AIPM, said: “Health literacy plays a key role in society becoming more aware of its own health. The more widely available and understandable health information is, the more effectively we can work towards prevention and the success of treatments. The Health Literacy Award has received fantastic applications for years, such as the Deep Air Project, the unique Semmelweis Help application at the Hungarian level, and the comprehensive online educational program of the Hungarian Cancer Research and Molecular Pathology Foundation, which includes the Cancer Researchers Podcast, the Cancer Researchers Vlog and the CANCER CURE Podcast”.

They are also looking for health influencers

This year, the application has been expanded with a new category, they are also looking for the health influencer of the year. “The role of social media is becoming increasingly powerful, and content related to our health is no exception. Our research also revealed that 14 percent of Hungarians consciously follow influencers on health or illness topics, and another 13 percent occasionally consume their content. Facebook, YouTube and TikTok are the most popular among followers. We consider it important to introduce and recognize those content producers who share authentic information on these platforms,” added Dr. Katalin Szalóki.

They completely trust content producers

Most people, 57 percent, follow content related to exercise and sports, 54 percent to nutrition, 46 percent to medical research, and almost the same number follow content related to mental health. 7 out of 10 people are considered conscious, as they follow someone based on whether they have professional experience in the relevant field. The second most popular reason is the appropriate education, while the third place was whether the content producer speaks from personal experience. The vast majority, 87 percent, completely trust the influencers they follow.