Balance readers survey
November 2006
Summary
This piece of research examines the profile of Balance readers and also looks to understand their motivations for reading the magazine, and what they want from a publication aimed at people with diabetes.
The research shows that Balance has a healthy mix of new and old readers, with approximately four out of 10 having been a member of Diabetes UK for up to five years, while six out of 10 have been a member for longer than five years. Although the magazine is appealing to a younger audience than in previous years, readers are still generally over 55 years of age, and read it either immediately or later on the same day. Nearly all readers (97 percent) share it with family and friends.
Attitudes towards Balance are very positive, with readers commending the level of information it contains and how it appeals to a wide range of readers with different needs. Moreover, nine out of 10 readers feel that Balance is an important source for information and a similar proportion feel that it contains useful advice - even more so than getting information from healthcare professionals.
Readers particularly like the research and news sections of the magazine with these areas being read in their entirety by approximately seven out of 10 readers. Eight out of 10 readers also commented that they would be interested in receiving a research supplement with Balance that would provide them with more in-depth information in this area.
Overall, nine out of 10 readers are either quite or very satisfied with the magazine, while eight out of 10 say that it is a regular source of information for diabetes. This is achieved by appealing to mix of audiences (people with Type 1 diabetes, people with Type 2 diabetes, healthcare professionals, etc.) through articles that speak to them on many different levels, satisfying the information needs of those who are newly diagnosed and those who have been living with diabetes for some time.