A Survey of the Experience and Impact of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections on People in Six Countries in the 2011/2012 Common Cold and Flu Season
Affiliation(s)
Greater London Innovation Centre, Procter & Gamble, Egham, UK. Ipsos Marketing, Cincinnati, USA. Mason Business Centre, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, USA.
Greater London Innovation Centre, Procter & Gamble, Egham, UK. Ipsos Marketing, Cincinnati, USA. Mason Business Centre, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, USA.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) are the most common infectious diseases of humankind. While usually mild and self-limiting, they are characterized by a series of simultaneously occurring symptoms/ signs that are sufficiently disruptive to sufferers’ normal activities in which medication is frequently sought. While the literature has many examples of epidemiological studies on these infections, there are few reports on patient experience and impact. This study was designed to investigate these aspects of Common Cold/Flu across six countries. Methods: A minimum of 500 adults aged 18 and older were recruited in each of six countries (Brazil, China, Germany, India, Russia, and the US) using customary survey research sampling techniques. Single 30-minute (online) or 40-minute door-to-door quantitative questionnaires with c. 50 questions were completed with each participant by the global research firm Ipsos. Main Findings: Across countries, incidence and seasonality of infections reported to this study were consistent with published data. There appears to be a need for patient education on the causes and transmission routes of respiratory infections. Getting good quality sleep and being able to continue with daily activities as an infection resolves are significant drivers to therapy. The most common non-prescription therapies reported were multi-ingredient products in line with the simultaneously occurring multi-symptom nature of the condition(s). Conclusions: This study indicated that acute URTIs exert a significant deleterious effect on sufferers. Public health education, possibly best undertaken by Pharmacists has the potential to impact the extent of virus transmission by ensuring that people know the true cause of the infection, how it is transmitted and how best to combat this. The several simultaneously occurring symptoms encourage sufferers to seek multi-ingredient remedies to allow them to continue with normal activities as their infection resolves naturally.
Introduction: Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) are the most common infectious diseases of humankind. While usually mild and self-limiting, they are characterized by a series of simultaneously occurring symptoms/ signs that are sufficiently disruptive to sufferers’ normal activities in which medication is frequently sought. While the literature has many examples of epidemiological studies on these infections, there are few reports on patient experience and impact. This study was designed to investigate these aspects of Common Cold/Flu across six countries. Methods: A minimum of 500 adults aged 18 and older were recruited in each of six countries (Brazil, China, Germany, India, Russia, and the US) using customary survey research sampling techniques. Single 30-minute (online) or 40-minute door-to-door quantitative questionnaires with c. 50 questions were completed with each participant by the global research firm Ipsos. Main Findings: Across countries, incidence and seasonality of infections reported to this study were consistent with published data. There appears to be a need for patient education on the causes and transmission routes of respiratory infections. Getting good quality sleep and being able to continue with daily activities as an infection resolves are significant drivers to therapy. The most common non-prescription therapies reported were multi-ingredient products in line with the simultaneously occurring multi-symptom nature of the condition(s). Conclusions: This study indicated that acute URTIs exert a significant deleterious effect on sufferers. Public health education, possibly best undertaken by Pharmacists has the potential to impact the extent of virus transmission by ensuring that people know the true cause of the infection, how it is transmitted and how best to combat this. The several simultaneously occurring symptoms encourage sufferers to seek multi-ingredient remedies to allow them to continue with normal activities as their infection resolves naturally.
Cite this paper
J. Hull, I. Barton, J. Torgersen and C. McNeil, "A Survey of the Experience and Impact of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections on People in Six Countries in the 2011/2012 Common Cold and Flu Season," Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2013, pp. 175-187. doi: 10.4236/ojrd.2013.34026.
J. Hull, I. Barton, J. Torgersen and C. McNeil, "A Survey of the Experience and Impact of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections on People in Six Countries in the 2011/2012 Common Cold and Flu Season," Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2013, pp. 175-187. doi: 10.4236/ojrd.2013.34026.
References
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[1] R. Eccles, “Is the Common Cold a Clinical Entity or a Cultural Concept?” Rhinology, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2013, pp. 3-8. [2] D. Wat, “The Common Cold: A Review of the Literature,” European Journal of Internal Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2004, pp. 79-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2004.01.006 [3] T. Heikkinen and A. Jarvinen, “The Common Cold,” Lancet, Vol. 361, No. 9351, 2003, pp. 51-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12162-9 [4] F. G. Hayden and M. G. Ison, “Respiratory Viral Infections,” ACP Medicine, June 2006. [5] Arruda, et al., “Frequency and Natural History of Rhinovirus Infections in Adults during Autumn,” Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol. 35, No. 11, 1997, pp. 2864-2868. [6] R. Eccles, “Understanding the Symptoms of the Common Cold and Influenza,” Lancet Infectious Disease, Vol. 5, No. 11, 2005, pp. 718-725. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(05)70270-X [7] Bramley, et al., “Productivity Losses Related to the Common Cold,” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 44, No. 9, 2002, pp. 822-829. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00043764-200209000-00004 [8] Lidwell, et al., “The Epidemiology of the Common Cold. IV. The Effect of Weather,” Journal of Hygiene (London), Vol. 63, No. 3, 1965, pp. 427-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0022172400045319 [9] Gwaltney, et al., “Rhinovirus Infections in an Industrial Population. II Characteristics of Illness and Antibody Response,” Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 202, No. 6, 1967, pp. 158-164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1967.03130190100014 [10] A. S. Monto and B. M. Ullman, “Acute Respiratory Illness in an American Community,” Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 227, No. 2, 1974, pp. 164-169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1974.03230150016004 [11] P. B. van Cauwenberge, “Epidemiology of Common Cold,” Rhinology, Vol. 23, No. 4, 1985, pp. 273-282. [12] R. B. Turner, “Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment of the Common Cold,” Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, Vol. 78, No. 6, 1997, pp. 531-539. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1081-1206(10)63213-9 [13] A. S. Monto, “Epidemiology of Viral Respiratory Infections,” American Journal of Medicine, Vol. 112, No. 6, 2002, pp. 4S-12S. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9343(01)01058-0 [14] R. Pawanker, G. W. Canonica, S. T. Holgate and R. F. Lockey, “WAO White Book on Allergy 2011-12: Executive Summary,” World Allergy Organization, 2011. [15] M. S. Blaiss, “Attitudes of Consumers towards Health cOugh and cOld (ACHOO) Survey,” Presented at the 4th American Cough Conference, 7 June 2013. [16] W. Doyle and S. Cohen, “Etiology of the Common Cold: Modulating Factors,” In: R. Eccles and O, Webber, Eds., Common Cold, Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, 2009, pp. 149-186.