Health Tech Burgeons But Social Bonds Strain: ICICI Lombard Wellness Index

India Wellness Index by ICICI Lombard suggests that while there is an uptick in digital well-being and health tech utilisation, social wellness in how individuals, especially women, engage within their communities is decreasing.

This year’s study highlights the growing reliance on digital platforms for wellness, a trend catalysed by the virtual push received during the lockdown and now becoming a mainstay in the pursuit of well-being.

The tech-enabled wellness index by ICICI Lombard comes through a framework that comprises six pillars of well-being: physical, mental, family, financial, workplace, and social. The study canvassed 2,052 respondents across 19 cities, emphasising the variances across age groups, genders, geographies, and degrees of employability.

Seventy per cent of Indians use Social Media to express or talk about Physical or Mental Wellness. Not just social media platforms, the wellness Index is higher among people using Fitness Tracking products (72 per cent) than those who are not (54 per cent).

Social Wellness fell by three per cent in 2023 overall, with the highest decline seen among working women. The report exposed that 77 per cent of Indians experience at least one symptom of stress on a regular basis. This number is even higher in the case of Gen-Z and Millennials.

The Index sheds light on the prevalence of chronic ailments, with approximately 35 per cent of respondents battling diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, or hypertension.

Gen X appears to bear the brunt of these conditions, often inheriting serious health concerns from their parents.

Sheena Kapoor, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at ICICI Lombard said, “This year's index reveals the digital embrace in the wellness sector, with more individuals turning to health tech and social media for well-being insights and solutions.

Social Media is looked up by respondents as an important source for mental and physical wellness, with 45 per cent saying that they access motivational content on these platforms that helps overall wellness of body and mind. However, the decline in social wellness is a call to action, emphasising the need for more community-centric initiatives.”

The Index exposes a stark reality where every third person is grappling with stress. The incidence of stress and depression symptoms is rising, with those affected experiencing significantly lower mental wellness.

Kapoor further highlighted, “Spending quality time with family sees a decline among working women, leading to a decreased feeling of well-being, with only 53 per cent of women claiming they will spend quality time with their families & community in 2023, compared to 64 per cent in 2022. This resonates with interactive sessions from the study, reflecting the challenges faced by working women in maintaining a balance between work and personal life.”