Keeping track of your health is, for many people, a continuous task. Monitoring what you eat, how often you exercise and how much water you drink can be time-consuming, fortunately there are tens of...

In 2023, the global functional and natural health food market was valued at **** billion U.S. dollars and is projected to increase to **** billion U.S. dollars by 2033. Superfoods The term “superfoods” has been used to describe nutritionally dense foods, or foods that are especially high in essential nutrients. A few common examples of superfoods include salmon, kale, blueberries, and quinoa. Between 2016 and 2017, retail sales of quinoa grew by **** percent in the United States, as its health benefits became more well known. Chia seeds, another popular superfood, saw a **** percent increase in retail sales in that time period. Healthy eating behavior in North America American consumers have tried a wide variety of different diet and lifestyle changes in order to improve their health, the most common of which involved increasing water intake, making small changes in one’s diet, and eating more fruits and vegetables. The top motivating factor for these eating habit changes was weight loss, followed by preventing future health conditions. When Canadian consumers were surveyed what they believed a healthy meal consisted of, more than half responded that more fruits and vegetables made a meal healthier.

International Health Insurance Market Outlook

The global market size of the International Health Insurance market reached approximately USD 25 billion in 2023 and is projected to soar to a staggering USD 50 billion by 2032, exhibiting a robust CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period. The significant growth factor contributing to this market is the increasing awareness and need for comprehensive healthcare coverage among individuals and corporates alike. The surge in medical costs, global travel, expatriation, and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases are some of the pivotal drivers fueling this market's expansion.

One of the primary growth factors is the globalization of the workforce. With the growing trend of multinational corporations, many employees are frequently stationed abroad. This has led to a higher demand for international health insurance plans, as they offer a safety net for employees against health-related uncertainties in foreign lands. Furthermore, the increase in international students pursuing education abroad also significantly contributes to this demand. Educational institutions and parents alike are keen on ensuring that students have adequate health coverage during their stay in foreign countries.

Another critical growth driver is the rising healthcare costs worldwide. Medical inflation is a significant concern, making it imperative for individuals and families to opt for health insurance plans that offer international coverage. With the healthcare systems in developed nations often being more expensive, international health insurance provides a crucial financial buffer. This ensures that policyholders can access high-quality medical care without facing financial hardships. Additionally, the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions necessitates continuous medical attention, further boosting the market.

The technological advancements in the insurance sector cannot be overlooked as a significant growth factor. Digital platforms and online distribution channels have made it easier for consumers to compare and purchase international health insurance plans. The convenience of online services, coupled with the availability of customized plans, has played a substantial role in attracting a broader customer base. Insurers are also leveraging data analytics and AI to offer personalized services and improve customer experiences, thereby enhancing the market's appeal.

Hospital Cash Benefit Insurances have emerged as a valuable addition to the international health insurance landscape. These plans provide policyholders with a fixed daily cash benefit during hospitalization, which can be used to cover out-of-pocket expenses that are not typically covered by standard health insurance. This includes costs such as transportation, accommodation for family members, and other incidental expenses that arise during a hospital stay. The flexibility offered by Hospital Cash Benefit Insurances makes them an attractive option for individuals seeking additional financial security during medical emergencies. As healthcare costs continue to rise globally, these insurances offer a practical solution to manage unforeseen expenses, thereby enhancing the overall appeal of comprehensive health insurance packages.

Regionally, North America and Europe dominate the international health insurance market due to the high number of expatriates, students, and travelers. The well-established healthcare infrastructure and stringent regulatory frameworks in these regions ensure high standards of service, thus making them attractive markets. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate over the forecast period. The increasing middle-class population, rising healthcare awareness, and economic growth in countries like China and India are key factors driving the market in this region.

Plan Type Analysis

The international health insurance market's segmentation by plan type includes individual plans, family plans, group plans, senior citizen plans, and others. Individual plans offer tailor-made coverage for single policyholders, addressing their specific healthcare needs. This segment is particularly popular among expatriates and international students, providing comprehensive coverage without tying policies to families or groups. The flexibility and customization options available in individual plans make them highly attractive,

The Health Savings Account (HSA) Provider market is an essential component of the healthcare financing landscape, allowing individuals with high-deductible health plans to save money tax-free for qualified medical expenses. HSAs have gained immense popularity among consumers seeking more control over their health sp

Health Pot Market size is growing at a faster pace with substantial growth rates over the last few years and is estimated that the market will grow significantly in the forecasted period i.e. 2024 to 2031.

Global Health Pot Market Drivers

The market drivers for the Health Pot Market can be influenced by various factors. These may include:

Trends in Health and Wellness: Growing consumer awareness and care for their health and well-being may stimulate demand for goods viewed as healthy, which could propel the market for medical marijuana to expansion. Preference for Natural and Organic items: In place of conventional items, consumers are becoming more and more interested in natural and organic alternatives. This group might be interested in health pots made with natural materials or components. Growing Disposable Income: As customers' disposable incomes increase, they might be more inclined to spend money on high-end health items, like as cannabis. Product Design Innovation: By drawing customers searching for cutting-edge solutions, new materials or features that improve convenience or health advantages can stimulate market growth. Marketing and Branding: Demand can be increased by employing strategic marketing techniques that highlight the health advantages of health pots and set them apart from conventional alternatives. Demographic Shifts: Changes in the population's makeup, such as an aging population or a rise in the health-consciousness of younger generations, might open up new markets for health pots. Regulatory Environment: Modifications to laws pertaining to health and wellness products may have an effect on customer confidence, labeling specifications, and production methods, all of which may have an effect on the market.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Population Health Management Solutions market size will be USD 28514.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.50% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 11405.68 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 8554.26 million.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 6558.27 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 1425.71 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 570.28 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% from 2024 to 2031.
The software category is the fastest growing segment of the Population Health Management Solutions industry

Market Dynamics of Population Health Management Solutions Market

Key Drivers for Population Health Management Solutions Market

The Requirement for Better Clinical and Financial Results for Patients to Boost Market Growth

The growing need for better patient outcomes, including favorable therapeutic and financial outcomes, is one of the main reasons propelling the population health management market. Medical professionals can obtain aggregated patient data from a variety of medical disciplines by using population health management technologies. Because of this, practitioners are able to make more educated clinical judgments, which improves treatment results and lowers treatment costs for patients. This is particularly true in the current situation, where individuals have a variety of long-term illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. Adopting a longitudinal care paradigm is made possible by PHM for the physicians, and this can result in very favorable treatment outcomes. This helps doctors to prevent expensive, one-time, and highly unpredictable medical events that result from these chronic illnesses. Due to these reasons, industry participants are always focused on innovating and launching new population health management software and solutions. Healthcare organizations are able to provide patients with customized care because of the software and services they provide, which also helps them save more money overall. Additionally, a number of industry participants are concentrating on home healthcare, which also significantly aids doctors in making even superior clinical judgments.

The Global Rise in the Elderly Population Requires Better Healthcare Management to Drive Market Growth

Population health management (PHM) solutions market growth is mostly being driven by the aging of the world's population. In particular, the management of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis is driving up demand for healthcare services from an aging population. By providing resources for care coordination, real-time monitoring, and preventative care, PHM systems help healthcare practitioners effectively manage sizable, aging patient populations. These technologies enhance the quality of life for senior citizens, minimize the need for readmissions to hospitals, and maximize resource usage. PHM solutions are necessary for early intervention and individualized care since the elderly are also more susceptible to complex health conditions. The market need is anticipated to increase even more in the upcoming years due to this demographic shift.

Restraint Factor for the Population Health Management Solutions Market

High Prices of Implementation and Maintenance Will Limit Market Growth

One of the primary obstacles to the population health management (PHM) solutions market is the high cost of implementation and upkeep. For smaller clinics and healthcare organizations, deploying PHM solutions might be financially prohibitive due to the significant investments required in hardware, software, and infrastructure. Furthermore, there are typically expensive and complicated procedures involved in integr...

In 2024, the education and health services industry employed the largest number of people in the United States. That year, about 37 million people were employed in the education and health services industry. Education and Health Services Industry Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the United States has started to fall behind in both education and the health care industry. Although the U.S. spends the most money in both these industries, they do not see their desired results in comparison to other nations. Furthermore, in the education services industry, there was a relatively significant wage gap between men and women. In 2019, men earned about 1,070 U.S. dollars per week on average, while their female counterparts only earned 773 U.S. dollars per week. Employment in the U.S. The 2008 financial crisis was a large-scale event that impacted the entire world, especially the United States. The economy started to improve after 2010, and the number of people employed in the United States has been steadily increasing since then. However, the number of people employed in the education sector is expected to slowly decrease until 2026. The overall unemployment rate in the United States has decreased since 2010 as well.

In 2022, the highest share of research and development spending (R&D) was made within the hardware technology producing industry, accounting for a total of nearly ** percent of the global R&D spending. The health sector and software producers followed in second at nearly ** percent each. In total, global R&D spending reached *** trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. Health industry and COVID-19 The high share spent by the health industry must be seen in relation with the COVID-19 pandemic that started spreading in late 2019 and caused deaths, lockdowns, and restrictions throughout 2020 and onwards. As governments and pharmaceutical companies sought to find an efficient vaccine against the virus, investment in research continued to increase. However, regardless of the pandemic, R&D spending within health care is essential in order to combat a variety of diseases, from small pox via malaria to cancer. Information and communication technology As people around the world become more and more dependent on information and communication technology, research spending by companies producing hardware and software continues to increase as these seek to further develop. For instance, all the seven companies with the highest R&D spending in 2022 were either software or hardware producing companies. The largest single investor was the software giant ******.

Update — December 7, 2014. – Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is not working for many reasons, for example: 1. Incorrect in their foundations (paradox): hierarchical levels of evidence are supported by opinions (i.e., lowest strength of evidence according to EBM) instead of real data collected from different types of study designs (i.e., evidence). http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1122534 2. The effect of criminal practices by pharmaceutical companies is only possible because of the complicity of others: healthcare systems, professional associations, governmental and academic institutions. Pharmaceutical companies also corrupt at the personal level, politicians and political parties are on their payroll, medical professionals seduced by different types of gifts in exchange of prescriptions (i.e., bribery) which very likely results in patients not receiving the proper treatment for their disease, many times there is no such thing: healthy persons not needing pharmacological treatments of any kind are constantly misdiagnosed and treated with unnecessary drugs. Some medical professionals are converted in K.O.L. which is only a puppet appearing on stage to spread lies to their peers, a person supposedly trained to improve the well-being of others, now deceits on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. Probably the saddest thing is that many honest doctors are being misled by these lies created by the rules of pharmaceutical marketing instead of scientific, medical, and ethical principles. Interpretation of EBM in this context was not anticipated by their creators. “The main reason we take so many drugs is that drug companies don’t sell drugs, they sell lies about drugs.” ―Peter C. Gøtzsche “doctors and their organisations should recognise that it is unethical to receive money that has been earned in part through crimes that have harmed those people whose interests doctors are expected to take care of. Many crimes would be impossible to carry out if doctors weren’t willing to participate in them.” —Peter C Gøtzsche, The BMJ, 2012, Big pharma often commits corporate crime, and this must be stopped. Pending (Colombia): Health Promoter Entities (In Spanish: EPS ―Empresas Promotoras de Salud).

1. Misinterpretations New technologies or concepts are difficult to understand in the beginning, it doesn’t matter their simplicity, we need to get used to new tools aimed to improve our professional practice. Probably the best explanation is here in these videos (credits to Antonio Villafaina for sharing these videos with me). English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ&w=420&h=315 Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DApozQBrlhU&w=420&h=315 ----------------------- Hypothesis: hierarchical levels of evidence based medicine are wrong Dear Editor, I have data to support the hypothesis described in the title of this letter. Before rejecting the null hypothesis I would like to ask the following open question:Could you support with data that hierarchical levels of evidence based medicine are correct? (1,2) Additional explanation to this question: – Only respond to this question attaching publicly available raw data.– Be aware that more than a question this is a challenge: I have data (i.e., evidence) which is contrary to classic (i.e., McMaster) or current (i.e., Oxford) hierarchical levels of evidence based medicine. An important part of this data (but not all) is publicly available. References
2. Ramirez, Jorge H (2014): The EBM challenge. figshare. http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1135873
3. The EBM Challenge Day 1: No Answers. Competing interests: I endorse the principles of open data in human biomedical research Read this letter on The BMJ – August 13, 2014.http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g3725/rr/762595Re: Greenhalgh T, et al. Evidence based medicine: a movement in crisis? BMJ 2014; 348: g3725. _ Fileset contents Raw data: Excel archive: Raw data, interactive figures, and PubMed search terms. Google Spreadsheet is also available (URL below the article description). Figure 1. Unadjusted (Fig 1A) and adjusted (Fig 1B) PubMed publication trends (01/01/1992 to 30/06/2014). Figure 2. Adjusted PubMed publication trends (07/01/2008 to 29/06/2014) Figure 3. Google search trends: Jan 2004 to Jun 2014 / 1-week periods. Figure 4. PubMed publication trends (1962-2013) systematic reviews and meta-analysis, clinical trials, and observational studies.
   Figure 5. Ramirez, Jorge H (2014): Infographics: Unpublished US phase 3 clinical trials (2002-2014) completed before Jan 2011 = 50.8%. figshare.http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1121675 Raw data: "13377 studies found for: Completed | Interventional Studies | Phase 3 | received from 01/01/2002 to 01/01/2014 | Worldwide". This database complies with the terms and conditions of ClinicalTrials.gov: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/about-site/terms-conditions Supplementary Figures (S1-S6). PubMed publication delay in the indexation processes does not explain the descending trends in the scientific output of evidence-based medicine. Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the following persons for providing valuable concepts in data visualization and infographics:
4. Maria Fernanda Ramírez. Professor of graphic design. Universidad del Valle. Cali, Colombia.
5. Lorena Franco. Graphic design student. Universidad del Valle. Cali, Colombia. Related articles by this author (Jorge H. Ramírez)
6. Ramirez JH. Lack of transparency in clinical trials: a call for action. Colomb Med (Cali) 2013;44(4):243-6. URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24892242
7. Ramirez JH. Re: Evidence based medicine is broken (17 June 2014). http://www.bmj.com/node/759181
8. Ramirez JH. Re: Global rules for global health: why we need an independent, impartial WHO (19 June 2014). http://www.bmj.com/node/759151
9. Ramirez JH. PubMed publication trends (1992 to 2014): evidence based medicine and clinical practice guidelines (04 July 2014). http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g3725/rr/759895 Recommended articles
10. Greenhalgh Trisha, Howick Jeremy,Maskrey Neal. Evidence based medicine: a movement in crisis? BMJ 2014;348:g3725
11. Spence Des. Evidence based medicine is broken BMJ 2014; 348:g22
12. Schünemann Holger J, Oxman Andrew D,Brozek Jan, Glasziou Paul, JaeschkeRoman, Vist Gunn E et al. Grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations for diagnostic tests and strategies BMJ 2008; 336:1106
13. Lau Joseph, Ioannidis John P A, TerrinNorma, Schmid Christopher H, OlkinIngram. The case of the misleading funnel plot BMJ 2006; 333:597
14. Moynihan R, Henry D, Moons KGM (2014) Using Evidence to Combat Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment: Evaluating Treatments, Tests, and Disease Definitions in the Time of Too Much. PLoS Med 11(7): e1001655. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001655
15. Katz D. A-holistic view of evidence based medicinehttp://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2014/05/02/a-holistic-view-of-evidence-based-medicine/ ---

Abstract

The Schooling Income and Health Risk (SIHR) project is a randomized evaluation of a conditional and unconditional cash transfer intervention targeting young women in Malawi that provided incentives (in the form of school fees and cash transfers) to current schoolgirls and recent dropouts to stay in or return to school. The program, known as the Zomba Cash Transfer Program (ZCTP), took place in Zomba, Malawi during 2008 and 2009. The incentives include average payment of US$10 a month conditional on satisfactory school attendance and direct payment of secondary school fees.

The SIHR project was specifically designed to answer a number of important questions about cash transfer programs for which there is little prior evidence. First, almost all information about the impacts of these programs come from Latin America, where income levels are much higher and institutional capacity is vastly superior compared with many poor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, the evidence base to effectively choose program design parameters (such as conditionality, transfer size, and the specific identity of the program beneficiary within households) is limited. Third, evidence on final outcomes, such as learning, labor market outcomes, and HIV risk is lacking. Finally, long term evaluations of cash transfer programs are rare - mainly because the control groups in these evaluations are treated after a short period of time.

The data collection effort includes household surveys, individual quantitative and qualitative interviews, academic assessments, Voluntary Counseling and Testing, earky childhood development assessments, school surveys, market surveys, community surveys, and health facility assessments.

The datasets from the fourth round of the impact evaluation are documented here.

Geographic coverage

Zomba district.

Zomba district in the Southern region was chosen as the site for this study for several reasons. First, it has a large enough population within a small enough geographic area rendering field work logistics easier and keeping transport costs lower. Zomba is a highly populated district, but distances from the district capital (Zomba Town) are relatively small. Second, characteristic of Southern Malawi, Zomba has a high rate of school dropouts and low educational attainment. Third, unlike many other districts, Zomba has the advantage of having a true urban center as well as rural areas. As the study sample was stratified to get representative samples from urban areas (Zomba town), rural areas near Zomba town, and distant rural areas in the district, researchers can analyze the heterogeneity of the impacts by urban/rural areas. Finally, while Southern Malawi, which includes Zomba, is poorer, has lower levels of education, and higher rates of HIV than Central and Northern Malawi, these differences are relative considering that Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence.

Analysis unit

• Households;
• 13-22 year-nold ever-married girls and young women at the baseline;
• Partners of the women recruited at baseline;
• Children of the women recruited at baseline, with those aged 3-4 years old being administered development assessments.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

First, 176 enumeration areas (EA) were randomly sampled out of a total of 550 EAs using three strata in the study district of Zomba. Each of these 176 EAs were then randomly assigned treatment or control status. The three strata are urban, rural areas near Zomba Town, and rural areas far from Zomba Town. Rural areas were defined as being near if they were within a 16-kilometer radius of Zomba Town. Researchers did not sample any EAs in TA Mbiza due to safety concerns (112 EAs).

Enumeration areas (EAs) in Zomba were selected from the universe of EAs produced by the National Statistics Office of Malawi from the 1998 Census. The sample of EAs was stratified by distance to the nearest township or trading centre. Of the 550 EAs in Zomba, 50 are in Zomba town and an additional 30 are classified as urban (township or trading center), while the remaining 470 are rural (population areas, or PAs). The stratified random sample of 176 EAs consisted of 29 EAs in Zomba town, eight trading centers in Zomba rural, 111 population areas within 16 kilometers of Zomba town, and 28 EAs more than 16 kilometers from Zomba town.

After selecting sample EAs, all households were listed in the 176 sample EAs using a short two-stage listing procedure. The first form, Form A, asked each household the following question: “Are there any never-married girls in this household who are between the ages of 13 and 22?” This form allowed the field teams to quickly identify households with members fitting into the sampling frame, thus significantly reducing the costs of listing. If the answer received on Form A was a “yes”, then Form B was filled to list members of the household to collect data on age, marital status, current schooling status, etc.

From this researchers could categorize the target population into two main groups: those who were out of school at baseline (baseline dropouts) and those who were in school at baseline (baseline schoolgirls). These two groups comprise the basis of our sampling frame. In each EA, enumerators sampled all eligible dropouts and approximately two-thirds of all eligible school girls, where the sampling percentage depended on the age and location of the baseline schoolgirl. This sampling procedure led to a total sample size of 3,796 with an average of 5.1 dropouts and 16.7 schoolgirls per EA.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The household survey consists of a multi-topic questionnaire administered to the households in which the selected sample respondents reside.

The survey consists of four parts: one that is administered to the head of the household; another that is administered to a core respondent - a sampled girl from the target population; another part is administered to the core respondent's partner; finally, assessments for early childhood development are administered to children of the core respondents who were aged 3-4 years old at the time of data collection.

The first part of the survey collects information on the household roster, dwelling characteristics, household assets and durables, shocks, deaths and consumption. The core respondent survey provides information about her family background, her education and labor market participation, her health, her children's health, her dating patterns, sexual behavior, marital expectations, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, as well as her own consumption of girl-specific goods (such as soaps, mobile phone airtime, clothing, braids, sodas and alcoholic drinks, etc.). The partner's survey provides information on the partner's education and labor market participation, health, dating patterns, sexual behavior, and marital expectations. Finally, children of the core respondent who were 3-4 years old at the time of data collection are administered two separate developmental assessments (the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire).

Much of the information gathered in the fourth round is similar to that collected in the previous rounds, but there is a significant portion of distinct and new information pertinent to Round 4.

Among OECD member countries, the United States had the highest percentage of gross domestic product spent on health care as of 2023. The U.S. spent nearly ** percent of its GDP on health care services. Germany, France and Japan followed the U.S. with distinctly smaller percentages. The United States had both significantly higher private and public spending on health compared with other developed countries. Why compare OECD countries?OECD stands for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. It is an economic organization consisting of ** members, mostly high-income countries and committed to democratic principles and market economy. This makes OECD statistics more comparable than statistics of developed and undeveloped countries. Health economics is an important matter for the OECD, even more since increasing health costs and an aging population have become an issue for many developed countries. Health costs in the U.S.  A higher GDP share spent on health care does not automatically lead to a better functioning health system. In the case of the U.S., high spending is mainly because of higher costs and prices, not due to higher utilization. For example, physicians’ salaries are much higher in the U.S. than in other comparable countries. A doctor in the U.S. earns almost twice as much as the average physician in Germany. Pharmaceutical spending per capita is also distinctly higher in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. also spends more on health administrative costs compare to other wealthy countries.

In 2024, UnitedHealthcare Group was the largest healthcare company in the United States by revenue with over *** billion U.S. dollars, followed by CVS Health and McKesson. This statistic shows the ten largest healthcare companies in the U.S. as of June 2024, by revenue.

In January 2025, MyFitnessPal was the leading fitness and sport mobile app, generating in-app revenues of more of 16 million U.S. dollars. Strava ranked second, with roughly nine million U.S. dollars in combined revenues via Google Play and Apple App Store. Fitbit, the mobile app eponymous of popular wearable fitness and health tracking devices, generated seven million U.S. dollars from its Google-powered app.