Pfizer More Than Medication Survey

Toronto, ON - Canadians say that there's certainly a lot more to staying healthy than simply taking their medicine. According to the Pfizer More Than Medication Survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Pfizer Canada, seven in ten Canadians (72%) say that eating well is the best way to stay healthy, while a similar proportion (67%) endorses keeping a positive attitude. Other top-five mentions include regular exercise (55%), supportive relationships with family and friends (47%), and genetics (19%).

• General practitioners differ slightly from the general public in terms of order of priority, with regular exercise (76%) at the top of their list, followed by eating well (65%), supportive relationships with friends and family (58%), keeping a positive attitude (46%), and genetics (24%).
• Natural health experts, on the other hand, rank eating well (79%) and regular exercise (72%) as their most important factors, followed by keeping a positive attitude (64%), supportive relationships with friends and family (42%), and spirituality/religion (27%).

Meanwhile, in terms of barriers to good health that they might encounter, Canadians say stress (74%) tops the list. Mirroring the list of contributors to health, lack of regular exercise (54%) and poor eating habits (50%) are next on the list. Rounding out the top five are not having time to take care of one's self (30%) and having a negative attitude (27%).

• General practitioners are most wary of stress and not having the time to take care of themselves (82%), followed by a lack of exercise (53%), poor eating habits (31%), and genetics (14%).
• Similarly, natural health experts say that stress (79%) is a big barrier to good health, followed by not having time to take care of themselves (62%), a lack of exercise (55%), poor eating habits (42%), and a negative attitude (28%).

Consumers, doctors, and natural health experts alike all take an holistic approach to health. Thinking about where good health actually comes from, it appears that there is a general agreement that it is a combination of body, mind, and soul. Specifically, four in ten consumers (41%) say it comes from the body, and a similar proportion (40%) say it comes from the mind. Two in ten (19%) say it comes from the soul. General practitioners place a greater emphasis on the body (49%) than on the mind (33%), but also mention the soul (19%). Natural experts, on the other hand, place a greater importance in the mind (39%) than on the body (37%), and increased importance in the soul (24%).

While nearly all Canadians (98%) agreed that people have a responsibility to take control of their own health, nine in ten (94%) also agree that we are looking for a "quick fix" when it comes to our health. As well, only 11% of natural health experts, 23% of general practitioners, and 35% of consumers agree that as a society, we do a good job of helping people to take control of their own health.

The majority of Canadians (61%) say that they have a healthier lifestyle than their parents did at their age. That being said, however, only four in ten (40%) say that their kids have a healthier lifestyle than they did at their kids' age. Canadians do remember the advice their mother gave them, though, as four in ten (42%) say their mother's best advice to them was to eat well.

When it comes to finding a reason to do all the things required to be healthy, Canadians are most likely to be motivated by themselves (84%), their spouse (53%), and their children (39%). General practitioners get their motivation from themselves (91%), their spouse (65%), and their children (54%), while natural health experts are much more likely to get inspiration from themselves (96%) than from their spouse (49%) or their children (39%).

Thinking about what they did yesterday, Canadians were most likely to have said "thank you" (97%). Eight in ten (84%) laughed out loud, and seven in ten (70%) hugged someone. Meanwhile, less than half of Canadians ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables (41%), exercised for at least 30 minutes (40%), did a puzzle of some kind (36%), or took over-the-counter non-prescription medication (30%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Pfizer from November 2007 to January 2008. This online survey of 4,001 Canadian consumers, 200 general practitioners, and 190 natural health experts was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 1.6 percentage points for consumers, +/- 6.9 percentage points for general practitioners, and +/- 7.1 percentage points for natural health experts, 19 times out of 20.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
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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