Europeans Have Many Areas of Commonality Europeans share the same views on many health issues. For example, the majority of consumers in all countries agree that they only go to the doctor when necessary. They also believe that they know when to visit a doctor vs. when to self medicate.
"Interestingly, doctors think differently about how well consumers judge whether to visit a physician or treat themselves," says Ginny Rose, Practice Area Lead in Patient Understanding, OTC and Consumer Health Research, TNS Healthcare UK. "For example, while 81% of consumers in the UK agree with the statement that they know when to go to the doctor and when to self medicate, more than 50% of doctors disagree."
Both consumers and doctors across the five countries surveyed share positive perceptions of pharmacists. There also was agreement on perceptions of OTC products, with UK respondents particularly positive about non-Rx treatments. For example, 77% of UK consumers and 85% of UK doctors believe that, for some health problems, the medicines consumers can buy are just as effective as those they would get from a doctor. In addition, 83% of UK consumers and 85% of UK doctors agree that it is important to be able to buy medicines without a prescription for minor ailments.
Findings Show Disagreement across Many Aspects of the Physician Relationship The TNS Healthcare survey reveals large differences among countries and between consumers and physicians in the same country on many aspect of the physician relationship. While 64% of consumers in the UK say that they would rather buy a medicine than visit a doctor, only 18% of that country's physicians agree. Spain comes out at the opposite end of the spectrum, with just 33% of consumers saying they would prefer to buy a medicine than visit a doctor - and only 10% of physicians agreeing. There also was broad disagreement on whether it is risky for people to treat minor ailments without seeing a doctor first. The percentage of consumers believing that it is very risky for people to self treat minor conditions ranged from 10% in the UK to 43% in Spain. On the physician side, respondents agreeing it is very risky ranged from just 4% in the UK to 49% in Italy. When asked whether they agree or disagree with the statement that doctors are too willing to prescribe treatments for minor ailments, doctors in most countries are harder on themselves than consumers are. For example, in the UK, 43% of doctors but only 26% of patients agree that doctors too often prescribe treatments for minor conditions. France and Spain show a similar pattern, with 40% of physicians but only about a quarter of consumers agreeing.
