Report Shows Americans Seek Inspirational Health News Coverage Beyond COVID-19

A new national survey shows that a vast majority of Americans currently crave inspirational health content and, in many cases, prefer stories that are non-COVID-19 related.

The COVID-19 Health Impact Survey, a research initiative distributed by GCI Health and Harris Poll, polled more than 2,000 U.S. adults—including 1,300 people with chronic illnesses—revealing that 40 percent of Americans want to see stories of hope and inspiration during this time.

Additional highlights showed:

• Nearly all (93 percent) reported interest in non-COVID related content;
• More than half (52 percent) reported difficulty finding any non-COVID health information;
• 83 percent feel inspired by how people are coming together; and
• 70 percent believe experiencing this pandemic has made them stronger and more resilient.

The survey sought to better understand how Americans are coping right now, as well as how the healthcare industry can best address their needs.

While there is a lot going on with regard to COVID-19 here at the University and the topic continues to overwhelm daily media coverage locally and nationally, these results are an important reminder that there is an appetite for more, especially if it can be informative and uplifting.

If you would like more guidance on communicating or amplifying an inspirational health story, contact University Relations.