Global Survey into Perceptions of Men’s Health Reveals British Men Are Not Reaping Benefits of Local Health Services and Information

GUILDFORD, England, November 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

-Survey highlights men want to take charge of their health but need to be further supported in order to do so -  

Sanofi today announced findings from one of the most comprehensive global surveys ever undertaken into the perceptions of men's health, which reveals the overwhelming majority (87%) of men want to take charge of their health however they are not taking full advantage of all trusted sources of information and advice available to them.^[1] This debunks the myth that men often ignore their health and highlights potential opportunities to deliver more efficient and effective healthcare to men beyond their doctor.

"While it's great to see that so many men want to take charge of their health, these survey results reinforce that health services can still do a better job of engaging with men to make this happen. Whether it's online or via pharmacies or GPs, designing services to meet men's needs better means men will get help and advice earlier - and that can only be a good thing," said Martin Tod, Chief Executive of the Men's Health Forum (MHF).

Commissioned by Sanofi in cooperation with Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH) and the Men's Health Network (MHN), the survey revealed that out of 925 UK men surveyed, 8 out of 10 (83%) claim to feel confident in identifying health problems when they arise and 83% of men believed that there are medical conditions for which obtaining the appropriate medication should not require a visit to the doctor.^[1] Despite this, only 6% of people surveyed say they would most likely seek advice from a pharmacist as a first point of call and one in ten men (10%) claimed to have never purchased an over-the-counter medication to treat an illness.^[1]

The survey also explored men's attitudes towards self-care. 83% of UK men surveyed feel satisfied that currently available health products address their health needs and 80% agree that over-the-counter (OTC) medication works well.^[1] Further to this, 87% of men surveyed believe that using OTC medication means less serious conditions can be dealt with at a pharmacy rather than the GP surgery and 70% of men who do seek health advice from their pharmacist are satisfied with the outcome.^[1]

"At Sanofi we see self-care as a simple but powerful tool to address global healthcare challenges. It transforms patients and consumers into caretakers of their own health, supporting healthy lifestyles and empowerment," said Duncan Kettles, Head of Consumer Health Care, Sanofi UK and Ireland. "We hope that by shedding light onthe unmet need in men's health,there will be greater understanding of howmen can be empowered to maintain their health and wellbeing, prevent acute and chronic disease, manage ailments and reduce the growing pressures on our healthcare systems."

The survey also investigated whether men would feel comfortable visiting pharmacies for a range of health services and testing for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and respiratory conditions. 70% of male respondents said they would consider using such services, which are increasing available in pharmacies through the UK.^[1]

A summary of the top line findings have been published to coincide with International Men's Day and can be viewed online at http://gamh.org/men4selfcare/ (this is a non-Sanofi site and Sanofi are not responsible for its content).

Key UK Findings^[1]

• 87% of men want to take charge of their health
• 83% of men claim to feel confident in identifying health problems when they arise
• 83% of men believe that there are medical conditions for which obtaining the appropriate medication should not require a visit to the doctor
• 6% of people say they would most likely seek advice from a pharmacist as a first point of call
• 10% of men claim to have never purchased an OTC medication to treat an illness
• 83% of men feel satisfied that currently available health products address their health needs
• 80% of men agree that OTC medication works well
• 87% of men believe that using OTC medication means less serious conditions can be dealt with at a pharmacy rather than the GP surgery
• 70% of men who do seek health advice from their pharmacist are satisfied with the outcome
• 70% of men would consider using pharmacy services such as testing for diabetes, heart disease and respiratory conditions

Key GlobalSurveyFindings^[5]

• 87% of men want to take charge of their health
• 83% of men are confident in managing their own health and feel like they know what to do when they have a health problem
• 55% of men agree there is plentiful information online to help them choose the right medication
• Almost half of all men cite visiting a doctor as their first response when faced with a health problem
• 80% of men believe that pharmacists can deal with non-serious and non-chronic health conditions

Aboutthe Survey^[1]

Men's Health: Perceptions from Around the Globe is one of the largest global surveys ever undertaken to explore men's perceptions to health. Experts in men's health believe the findings indicate significant opportunities for policymakers around the world who are looking for ways to improve men's health and wellbeing and address related health inequalities and burdens that result.

The survey was commissioned by Sanofi in cooperation with Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH) and the Men's Health Network (MHN), and was conducted among 2,000 demographically representative adults from each of the following countries: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey was carried out in September 2016 by Opinium Research (Australia and Europe) and Harris Poll (USA).

A summary of the top line findings have been published to coincide with International Men's Day. The survey was designed to find out more about men's perception of healthcare and to identify possible ways to better respond to unmet needs in men's health.

About Self-Care 

Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote and maintain health, prevent disease, cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.^[2] This can include physical exercise and sound nutrition, managing one's health after discharge from hospital and resorting to self-treatment. Self-care is a simple but powerful tool to address global healthcare challenges. It transforms patients into caretakers of their own health, supporting healthy lifestyles and empowerment.  

In the UK self-care is important in both those suffering from minor ailments and long-term conditions and according to the Department of Health, 80% of people with long-term conditions can be supported to manage their own condition.^[3] However, figures show that in the UK, 57 million people visit their GP and 3.7 million people visit A&E for conditions that could be treated with self-care and by using over the counter (OTC) products.^[4] Furthermore, the annual cost to the NHS is over £2 billion.^[4]

About Men's Health Forum (MHF) UK 

Men's Health Forum (MHF) is a charity whose mission is to be an independent and authoritative advocate for male health and to tackle the inequalities affecting the health and wellbeing of boys and men in England, Wales and Scotland. For more information, visit http://www.menshealthforum.org.uk

AboutMen's Health Network 

Men's Health Network (MHN) is a U.S. based nonprofit educational organisation whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play and pray with health prevention messages and tools, screening programmes, educational materials, advocacy opportunities and patient navigation. MHN is made up of physicians, researchers, public health workers, individuals and other health professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.menshealthnetwork.org.

About Global Action on Men's Health 

Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH) was established in 2013 and launched during International Men's Health Week in 2014. It is a collaborative project that brings together men's health organisations, and others which share their objectives, in a new global network. GAMH's mission is to create a world where all men and boys have the opportunity to achieve the best possible health and wellbeing wherever they live and whatever their backgrounds.

About Sanofi 

Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi is organised into five global business units: Diabetes and Cardiovascular, General Medicines and Emerging Markets, Sanofi Genzyme, Sanofi Pasteur and Merial. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

About Sanofi Consumer Healthcare: 

Sanofi Consumer Healthcare reported sales of EUR 3.4 bn in 2015. The business is concentrating on 6 global categories: Allergy, Pain, Digestive Health, Cough & Cold, Vitamins & Mineral Supplements and Feminine Care. In June 2016 Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim signed an agreement to swap Sanofi's Animal Health and Boehringer Ingelheim's Consumer Healthcare business. Until closing - which is expected by year-end 2016 - the transaction remains subject to approval by the regulatory authorities in different geographies.

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