Power to the Community: Influence Mindset. Influence Outcomes.
Published Aug. 20, 2024 | 4 Minute Read
By Eugene L. Green
VP, Business Development
Health Union
Personal. Safe. Real. These are important types of discussions to have when navigating complex health situations. These are the types of discussions that happen within a community of people that have learned that nothing is more healing than support. These are communities that embrace the power of community because its impact truly saves lives. This is what makes Health Union special, and what the Black community has begun to do better than ever before.
I know you hear me…
There’s no easy way for one Black man to ask another Black man: “Hey man… Have you had your prostate exam this year?” You just… say it. Then you talk about it. This is what happened at a family cookout I was at earlier this summer, but the halo effect was more amazing than I ever could have imagined.
Because of the nature of the question and the delivery (again, you just have to say it), everyone listens. I don’t even remember my target’s exact response, but I remember what happened next. Curiosity. Mostly 1:1 follow-up, but several men of the ideal age admitted to never having a prostate exam and wondering how, who, and where. Younger guys had no idea what a prostate was. A few wives punched their hubby in the shoulder as if to say, “TOLD YOU!”
Health conversations lead to health actions
Regardless of the setting, we all have the opportunity to raise important health-focused topics with those around us. Be the influencer. Give people in your community a safe place to explore. Allow those around you to share their stories. Kick off the conversation and watch people absorb what you have to share so intently. You can almost feel their brainwaves taking mental notes.
This is very consistent with the experiences provided by Health Union’s online communities. One of Health Union’s priorities is giving diverse Health Leaders a platform to share their stories – so patients and caregivers can feel seen and understood in their own journeys. So they can see a face and context of their condition. Many people share and interact, but most just simply listen and observe.
And all have done the same thing just by joining the discussion: given themselves and the people they care about the opportunity for better health outcomes.
Action. Influence. Repeat.
Healthcare-oriented action comes in many shapes and sizes. Some people will rush to the doctor to have a very important conversation. Some will want to learn more and begin hammering Google. Some will share with those closest to them in an effort to begin a patient journey that will not only change their mindset, but the entire community’s.
March was National Colorectal Awareness Month and I realized that I had never had a colonoscopy. I hadn’t even heard many people around me talk about it. Opportunity.
I decided to make a short video highlighting my experience, then post on Linkedin. DONE… But I wasn’t done. A very good friend and former co-worker called me a few weeks later to let me know his wife saw the video and would not let him out of her sight until he made an appointment. As recently as late July, a college friend sent me this text: “Scheduled my first colonoscopy. Thank you!“
Better support = better health outcomes
Online conversations really do lead to offline action. Across all of Health Union’s 45+ communities, we see around 15,000 users share articles directly from our sites to their own social platforms each year. That’s more than a thousand people sharing each month! And those numbers only multiply when you look at the 1 million+ people getting our community newsletters in their inboxes. Hit forward, pay it forward, and get those conversations going.
Paying it forward is the best gift you could ever give someone. Their corresponding action is invaluable. Be the influencer.
So, as you go back to your families, communities, churches, etc.:
- Keep it simple: Support each other.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about health in your communities.
- Explore options and solutions together.
Online to offline…
Be the influencer! Be the voice, the story, the person that gets the conversation going.
That’s what our online communities do so well. It’s what our patient and caregiver writers and online creators can do for so many people who are turning online for help. When someone is looking for support, for answers, to feel validated and understood – whether it’s a diagnosis moment, a treatment challenge, or an “I just don’t know what to do next…” feeling. Our communities are there to help.
Real people, real health, real conversations and community. That’s where real change begins.
Learn more about how Health Union is reaching diverse audiences with authentic, patient-driven content: health-union.com/human-side-of-data/#dei
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