Why are the elderly superstitious about health care products?

First of all, we need to know why the elderly are superstitious about health care products?

1. Cognitive decline theory: As age increases, the cognitive abilities of the elderly gradually decline, resulting in their limited ability to judge the authenticity of information. This makes them susceptible to false propaganda and misinformation, making them more inclined to believe in the miraculous effects of health products.

2. Social psychology perspective: The elderly have a relatively weak understanding of social development and technological progress, and are more susceptible to the influence of traditional concepts and social customs. In addition, due to psychological factors such as loneliness and retirement, they may need to pay more attention to their health conditions and are therefore more likely to be attracted to health products.

3. Health Anxiety Theory: As age increases, the elderly are more likely to have various physical problems, which makes them more concerned about health issues. Health care products are promoted to meet this demand, so that the elderly have a psychological expectation that health care products can help them maintain their health.

4. Biological perspective of aging: As body functions decline, the elderly’s demand for various supplements and nutritional products increases. Some health products can indeed provide certain nutrients, but many health products on the market do not achieve the advertised effects and may even pose safety risks. Older adults may be more likely to believe in the efficacy of supplements due to concerns about aging and health problems.

5. Social support theory: As the role of the elderly in family and society gradually changes, they may feel less care and support. In this case, words such as care and concern in the promotion of health care products are more likely to arouse the screams of the elderly, making them inclined to purchase and use health care products.

6. Restrictions on information channels: The elderly have limited channels for obtaining information. They usually learn about health product information through traditional media such as relatives and friends, television, and newspapers. These channels often contain inaccurate and one-sided information, making the elderly more susceptible to misinformation.

7. Marketing strategies: Health product companies use various strategies in publicity and marketing, such as exaggerated publicity, use of recommendations from authoritative people, hypothetical stories, etc., to create a magical and efficient image for the product. These strategies can easily influence the elderly, making them trust health products and make them more willing to buy them.

8. Grassroots cultural influence: In some regions and groups, health products are considered to be a symbol of improving the quality of life and reflecting social status. In this cultural atmosphere, the elderly are more likely to be superstitious about health care products and believe that buying and using health care products is a way to pursue health and happiness.

9. Imitation psychology: Elderly people may see other people in their social circles using health care products and claiming benefits, which may stimulate their desire to imitate. In this case, the elderly are more susceptible to the influence of health supplements, purchasing and using the products.

10. Bounded rationality and decision-making biases: According to the theory of behavioral economics, humans are not completely rational in the decision-making process and are easily affected by cognitive biases. Older adults may become overly dependent on supplements, believing that they are the only solution to their health problems, thereby ignoring other, more effective and safer treatments.

The impact of superstitious health care products on the elderly is multi-faceted, including the following aspects:

1. Economic losses: Many health care products are expensive, and if the elderly Excessive purchase and use of health care products can easily cause unnecessary financial burden. For seniors with limited income after retirement, this may have a negative impact on their quality of life. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, China's health care product market reached 299.7 billion yuan in 2019, a year-on-year increase of 12.2%. Among them, the elderly are the main consumer group of health care products.

2. Health risks: Some health products have safety hazards, such as excessive intake, unknown ingredients, substandard quality, etc. Long-term use of these health products may cause damage to the physical health of the elderly and even cause some potential health problems.

According to the China Food and Drug Administration, in 2019, more than 5,900 illegal health food cases were investigated and dealt with by governments across the country, involving a total amount of 1 billion yuan. Some health products have potential safety hazards, such as excessive intake, unknown ingredients, and substandard quality.

3. Delay the disease: Elderly people who are superstitious about health care products may ignore traditional medical methods and use health care products instead of formal treatment. This can lead to delays and make conditions that could otherwise be effectively controlled and treated become more severe. Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the US National Academy of Medicine and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, once said that over-reliance on health care products may cause patients to give up regular treatment.

4. Psychological burden: When health care products fail to achieve the expected results, the elderly may feel disappointed, frustrated, and even have more worries about their health. This psychological pressure may affect their mental health and even lead to some psychological problems. According to a survey on the mental health status of the elderly in China, the incidence of mental health problems among the elderly is as high as 25%. When supplements fail to deliver the desired results, seniors may feel disappointed, frustrated, and even more worried about their health.

5. Social impact: Elderly people who are superstitious about health care products may spread wrong health concepts in their social circles, causing more people to be misled. This may have a negative impact on health perceptions and behaviors across society.

6. Tensions in family relationships: The elderly’s superstitious behavior regarding health care products may lead to disagreements and disputes among family members. On the one hand, family members may be concerned about the health status of the elderly; on the other hand, they may be dissatisfied with the elderly's excessive consumption of health care products. This kind of conflict may cause tension in family relationships and affect family harmony.

In order to alleviate these negative effects, it is necessary to strengthen health education for the elderly and improve their scientific literacy. At the same time, we should strengthen the supervision of the health care product market and reduce false propaganda and bad marketing behaviors. Family members should also pay attention to the needs and feelings of the elderly, guide them to establish correct health concepts, and rationally choose and use health products.

So, how to prove to the elderly that certain health products are scams?

1. Provide authoritative information: Look for information on health products released by relevant government agencies, professional organizations or well-known experts, such as announcements from food and drug regulatory authorities, research reports from authoritative medical magazines, etc. Use this authoritative information to prove false advertising or safety hazards of certain health products.

2. Compare ingredients: Analyze the ingredients of health products and compare them with ordinary foods or medicines. Through comparison, the elderly can understand that some health products do not have special ingredients and cannot achieve the magical effects advertised.

3. For example: Introduce to the elderly some cases of health care products that were exposed and punished due to false propaganda or safety hazards, so that they understand that the health care product market is not completely trustworthy.

4. Tell personal experiences: If you or your relatives and friends have used certain health products and did not achieve the expected results or experienced side effects, you can share these experiences with the elderly and remind them not to blindly believe in health products.

5. Guide to search for authoritative reviews: Encourage the elderly to look for reviews and word-of-mouth reviews of related products before purchasing health care products, and understand the real feedback of other consumers. This can help them identify over-promoted supplements that have limited effectiveness.

6. Emphasis on medical perspectives: Popularize medical knowledge to the elderly, emphasizing that prevention and treatment of diseases should rely on formal medical methods rather than over-reliance on health products. Let them realize that health products are not a panacea and cannot replace medical treatment.

7. Reasonable communication skills: When communicating with the elderly, be patient, respectful and caring. When expressing your opinions, try to avoid an accusing and questioning tone, and instead state the facts and truth in a calm and rational way.

8. Collaborative education of family members: Family members jointly pay attention to the needs of the elderly, guide them to establish correct health concepts, and form a joint effort to reduce the elderly's dependence on health care products.

9. Promote a healthy lifestyle: Promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle such as healthy eating, proper exercise, and adequate sleep. Let the elderly realize that the key to staying healthy lies in adjusting their daily habits rather than relying too much on health products.

10. Remind risk awareness: Emphasize the risks of the health care product market to the elderly and let them understand that certain health care products may have false advertising, safety hazards and other issues. Improve their risk awareness when choosing health products and avoid blind purchase and use.

11. Use media reports: Recommend some news reports, special programs, etc. about health care products to the elderly, so that they can understand the current situation of the health care product market from multiple perspectives. This can help them understand health care products more comprehensively and avoid being misled by false propaganda.

12. It is recommended to consult professionals: When the elderly purchase health products, it is recommended that they consult professionals such as doctors or nutritionists. These professionals can provide the elderly with more scientific and reasonable advice based on their actual conditions and avoid purchasing unsuitable or low-quality health care products.

Revealing the true face of health care products to the elderly from multiple angles and comprehensively will help improve their judgment and risk awareness, thereby reducing their reliance on false health care products. At the same time, we should also pay attention to the psychological needs of the elderly, care for their physical and mental health, and guide them to develop a healthy lifestyle.