The new Health Report Card campaign aims to help Cambodians reflect on their lifestyle choices
It is not often that people are aware of the everyday choices they make that negatively affect the state of their health. But sometimes their friends and family are.
It is this thought that prompted the Cambodian arm of insurance giant AIA to launch the Health Report Card, a campaign intended to help Cambodians reflect on their health decisions amid the escalating trend of diseases associated with lifestyle choices.
The Health Report Card provides an online platform where people answer questions about their loved ones’ physical activity, diet, lifestyle choices and emotional wellbeing. A personalised report card is then generated, much like a school report, which can be shared with the subject on Facebook.
As part of the campaign launch, a classroom of primary school children was invited to assess their parent’s health.
“Children are really perceptive; they really do pick up on a lot,” said Richard Bates, CEO of AIA Cambodia. “They were able to provide a pretty accurate assessment based on observations of their parents’ lifestyle choices and activities. When the parents saw their report cards, some were concerned about the examples they are setting for their children.”
Ten-year-old Kim Vorntharyvan attend the Campaign’s launch event with her mother and younger sister. She said the website could benefit her family.
“I think that I would definitely use this,” she said. “It looks really interesting and easy for me and my sister to use for my mum. I think my mum would listen to what me and my sister have to say if we gave her a report card.”
“Most people don’t think about their health,” said Samphors Vat, a business development manager who also attended the event.. “I think this campaign is going to actually get people to start thinking more about their health, because now people don’t really care, they just want to go to work.”
Lifestyle-related diseases, including heart disease and cancer, are on the rise in the country, accounting for more than 50% of deaths in Cambodia, according to a World Health Organisation report from 2014.
“Many of these deaths can be prevented by making better lifestyle choices,” Bates said. “We wanted a campaign that was going to be relatively simple, fun and engaging.”
Lifestyle campaign
Cambodians encouraged to grade their friends’ health online
The new Health Report Card campaign aims to help Cambodians reflect on their lifestyle choices
