THREE QUARTERS (73%) OF CANADIANS BELIEVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WORSE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO: MAJORITY (55%)

THREE QUARTERS (73%) OF CANADIANS BELIEVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WORSE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO: MAJORITY (55%)

MAJORITY (86%) BELIEVE THEIR DOCTOR TRULY LISTENS TO THEIR CONCERNS

MAJORITY OF DOCTORS (51%) SUSPECT PATIENTS HAVE EXAGGERATED PROBLEMS, WHILE ONLY 5% OF PATIENTS ADMIT HAVING DONE SO

This Angus Reid Group poll was conducted on behalf of CTV, Chatelaine Magazine and the Medical Post. The results presented here are from two separate study samples conducted in June 1998. The first is a telephone survey of 201 physicians 185 a sample of this size is said to have an associated margin of error of +6.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The second sample consisted of 1501 telephone interviews with a representative cross-section of the adult Canadian public. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +2.5, 19 times out of 20. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 1996 Census data.

The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population.

Seventy three percent of Canadians feel that the Canadian healthcare system has worsened over the past five years and it is government that they hold accountable for the deprived state of healthcare (55%). However, the overwhelming majority of Canadians (86%) feel that their own doctor "truly listens" to their concerns and is "genuinely concerned" about their well-being. Although only 5% of Canadians admit to "having exaggerated symptoms to get a specific treatment", half of the doctors (51%) who responded to this study felt that they suspected that they have had patients who have exaggerated symptoms.

The following are the highlights from the survey conducted in June 1998 with 201 physicians and a representative cross-section of 1,501 Canadian adults with corresponding margins of error of +6.9 and +2.5 accordingly.

The Healthcare System

Seventy-three percent of Canadians believe that the healthcare system has gotten worse in the past five years, while 20% say it has stayed the same and only 5% argue that it has improved.

• Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (80%) and Quebec (78%) are the most likely to feel that the healthcare system has deteriorated in the past five years.
• Women (80%) are more likely than men (65%) to argue that there has been a worsening in healthcare.

Who's to Blame for a Deteriorating Healthcare System?

More than half of respondents (55%) believe that government is to blame for problems in the healthcare system. On the other hand, 19% blame patients for over-using the system and 6% blame doctors. Another 18% believe that government, doctors and patients must accept equal responsibility for the deterioration in healthcare.

• Quebecers (64%) are more likely than other regions to blame government for the decline in the healthcare system.

Patients Believe Their Doctor Listens To Concerns

Despite a lack of faith in the healthcare system, most Canadians (86%) believe their personal doctor "truly listens to my concerns." In fact, 57% strongly believe that their doctor is truly listening while the other 29% somewhat agree.

Half Of Doctors Report Witnessing Exaggerated Symptoms, Not So Says Patients

Fifty-one percent of the doctors surveyed reported that they suspected that patients had exaggerated problems in order to get a specific treatment, while only 5% of Canadians admit to having done so in the past.

For further information, please contact

John Wright, Senior Vice President
The Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900