Majority of Mothers (52%) Have Never Heard of Rotavirus, Potentially Dangerous Virus For Young Children

Toronto, ON - A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Child Health finds that a majority (52%) of mothers, aged 20 to 45 with at least one child under the age of three, have never heard of the rotavirus. Further, while one in three (36%) mothers have had a child experiencing the symptoms of the rotavirus, only 10% had one of their children actually diagnosed with the virus. Despite this, 8% of mothers whose youngest child experienced the symptoms of the rotavirus have had to hospitalize this child overnight because of the virus.

Rotavirus Not Well Understood...

• Less than half (41%) consider themselves to be familiar with it.
• Less than one in three mothers (29%) considered the rotavirus to be very serious.
• One in three mothers (35%) believe the rotavirus will go away without any medical treatment.

Rotavirus Under-Diagnosed in Canada...

One in three mothers aged 20 to 45, with a least one child under the age of three, (36%) say that they have a child who has experienced the rotavirus at least once in their lifetime, defined as five or more episodes of watery diarrhea in one day.

• Of those whose youngest child experienced the symptoms, many mothers (57%) elected to treat it at home.
• Only one in ten mothers surveyed (10%) say that one of their children have ever been diagnosed with the rotavirus.

Rotavirus Could Lead to Hospitalization...

Of mothers whose youngest child experienced the symptoms, 44% had to take this child to a doctor because of the rotavirus, 20% had to take this child to the hospital emergency room and 8% had their youngest child stay overnight in hospital because of the rotavirus.

For more Information on this news release, please contact:

Marie-Eve Laberge
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Insight
Health Division
(514) 904-4341
[email protected] For full tabular results, please visit our website www.ipsos.ca. News Releases are available at: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/.

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Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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