1. Survey of Minor Ailment Sufferers
Prepared for:
Consumer Health Products Canada
January 2015

2. Research Approach
In January 2015, Consumer Health Products Canada (CHP) engaged Redfern Research to conduct a survey of Canadians regarding their response to several minor ailments.
The project included an on-line survey of 1300 individuals 18 or older who had experienced one of four minor ailments in the last two months.
The sample included an oversample of 400 people who visited a doctor about their minor ailment in the last 60 days.
Once appropriately weighted, the overall sample contains 1200 individuals, considered accurate to within approximately ± 3%, 19 times in 20. Accuracy is lower within each ailment group:
Headaches and migraine (N=120, ± 9%)
Cough and Cold (N=395, ± 5%)
Indigestion and Heartburn (N=394, ± 5%)
Allergic Rhinitis (N=395, ± 5%)
The survey was designed by Redfern Research in close discussion with CHP. Fielding was completed by Research Now. Respondents were selected randomly from Research Now’s consumer Panel

3. Severity of Recent Symptoms
How were you affected by your most recent experience with [AILMENT VARIABLE] symptoms?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

4. School or Work Missed
Thinking about your most recent [AILMENT VARIABLE] experience, how many days of work and/or school, if any, did you miss because of your symptoms?
Average Days Lost*
0.8
0.4
0.5
1.1
1.0
*All sufferers
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

5. Response to Recent Ailment (1)
Thinking now about the most recent time within the last two months that you experienced [AILMENT VARIABLE] symptoms, which of the following actions, if any, did you take in response to your symptoms? (Check all that apply.)
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

6. Response to Recent Ailment (2)
Thinking now about the most recent time within the last two months that you experienced [AILMENT VARIABLE] symptoms, which of the following actions, if any, did you take in response to your symptoms? (Check all that apply.)
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

7. New Versus Existing Prescriptions
Was the prescription drug you took for your ailment one you already had on hand, or was it a new medication prescribed by your doctor specifically for this episode of [AILMENT]?
Base: 185 who took prescription medications, (32 cough and cold, 66 allergic rhinitis, 55 indigestion/heartburn, 32 headache/migraine)

8. Why Choose Rx over OTC? Prompted list. Multiple responses accepted.
Which of the following reasons explain why you used a prescription medication rather than an over-the-counter medication to treat your [AILMENT]?
Prompted list.
Multiple responses accepted.
Base: 109 who took prescription medications but not OTC. Small samples prevents analysis within ailments.

9. What web site, blog or social media did you consult? (n=270)
Information Sources
Which of the following information sources did you consult during your most recent episode of [AILMENT]?
What web site, blog or social media did you consult? (n=270)
Google Search
29%
Wikipedia
16%
Facebook 9%
Mayo Clinic 4%
Passeport Santé 3%
Other Search Engine 2%
Yahoo (Search)
Media Site / TV
Pharmacy site
Government Site 1%
Open Ended Question.
Responses coded for analysis.
Base: 109 who took prescription medications but not OTC. Small samples prevents analysis within ailments.

10. Tricks and Cures Open Ended Question. Responses coded for analysis.
Do you have any special trick or remedy you use to deal with your [AILMENT] symptoms? If so, please describe it in a few words. [OPEN END]
Open Ended Question.
Responses coded for analysis.
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

11. Unprompted Reasons to Not See A Doctor
What is the main reason you did not see a doctor about your [AILMENT] the last time you experienced symptoms? [OPEN END]?
Open Ended Question.
Responses coded for analysis.
Weighted base: 961 respondents who did not see a doctor during last episode of minor ailment.

12. Prompted Reasons Not See A Doctor
Do any of the following reasons explain why you did not make an appointment with a doctor during your most recent episode of [AILMENT]?
Weighted base: 992 respondents (253 cough and cold, 219 allergic rhinitis, 253 indigestion/heartburn, 267 headache/migraine)

13. Satisfaction with Treatment
People who did not see a doctor
People who did see a doctor
Looking back, how satisfied are you with the results of the treatments you used for your [AILMENT] the last time you experienced symptoms?
Looking back, how satisfied are you with the results of treatments your doctor recommended for your [AILMENT] the last time you experienced symptoms?
Weighted base: 961 people who did not see a doctor during last episode of minor ailment, 400 people who did

14. Confidence Practicing Self-Care
How confident do you feel about treating [AILMENT] symptoms yourself without seeking a doctor’s advice?
Weighted base: 886 respondents who did not see a doctor (243 cough and cold, 275 allergic rhinitis, 279 indigestion/heartburn, 89 headache/migraine)

15. Awareness of Tax Policies
Please tell me whether you believe each of the following statements is true or false.
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

16. Personal Cost Implications
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

17. Preferred Tax Policies
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

18. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Sales Tax on OTCs
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

19. Perceptions of Medications
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

20. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Interest in Self-Care
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

21. Preferred Tax Policies
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

22. Appointments for Prescription Renewal
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? “I sometimes make physician appointments solely to get my prescription(s) renewed.”
Weighted base: 1201 respondents (395 cough and cold, 395 allergic rhinitis, 394 indigestion/heartburn, 120 headache/migraine)

23. Doctor Visits: Expectations and Outcomes
When you went to see a doctor during your most recent episode of [AILMENT], what were you expecting he or she would do? When you saw the doctor during your most recent episode of [AILMENT], what did he or she actually do?
Unweighted base: 400 Individuals who visited a doctor during their last ailment episode.

24. Survey of Minor and Chronic Ailment Sufferers
Prepared for:
Consumer Health Products Canada
May 2014