Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast Social Media’s Growing Role in Healthcare Decisions | Behind the Numbers
Mar 23, 2026
Rajiv Leventhal, a senior digital health analyst focused on access and marketing, and Beth Snyder Bulik, a senior digital health researcher expert on influencers and patient communities, discuss why Americans turn to social platforms for healthcare. They cover who people follow for advice, access barriers pushing online searches, the appeal of empathy and influencers, and risks from simplified or misleading health messaging.
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Convenience And Access Drive Social Health Seeking
- Americans turn to social media for health because it's the same place they seek advice on lifestyle topics and it's extremely convenient.
- Rajiv and Beth note social media fills gaps when healthcare access is limited, offering quick, continuous interaction unlike delayed doctor visits.
Empathy Beats Expertise For Many Followers
- Empathy is a primary reason people follow nonphysician health influencers, sometimes even above technical expertise.
- Beth cites Edelman data: audiences seek emotional connection and shared experience that time-pressed clinicians often cannot provide.
Oversimplified Health Messages Are Harmful
- Overgeneralized health messaging is as risky as outright misinformation because it simplifies complex conditions.
- Marcus references a University of Vienna study urging research to address both misinformation and oversimplified guidance from influencers.