The Value of Patient Perspectives in Answering Key Business Questions
Published May 23rd, 2023 | 3 Minute Read
For over a decade, Health Union has regularly fielded condition-specific In America surveys within its growing portfolio of online health communities. The surveys have collected thousands of responses from patients and caregivers living with a range of chronic and complex conditions.
Of the more than 70 questions asked in each survey, many focus on experiences with diagnosis, treatment awareness, quality of life, and online information-seeking. Since its inception, the research program’s characteristics have positioned condition-specific In America surveys as deeply valuable sources of timely, relevant, patient-reported data that offer genuine insight into the patient journey. The findings have been mutually beneficial for those participating in Health Union’s communities and for industry partners.
Recently, it became clear that in order to capture the highest quality data, the research methodology had to evolve. The solution was two-fold:
A comprehensive In America 2023 that enhances the ability to examine similarities and differences across conditions, paves the way for a more holistic understanding of patients across multiple comorbidities—which is aligned more directly to a patient’s journey—and streamlines the survey length to optimize participation and cross-community representation.
A condition-specific, in-depth Patient Experience 2023 research program, which builds on In America responses with an additional set of questions focused on unmet needs, disease burden, and treatment experiences—with quota-sampling to better represent important subgroups.
The revamped methodology provides IRB-approved data across multiple conditions plus condition-specific deep dives. In America 2023 successfully surveyed over 33,000 unique respondents who provided feedback on over 50,000 condition-specific experiences. In tandem, the Patient Experience surveys are currently being fielded, with hundreds of In America respondents recontacted to provide additional data and further elucidate their experiences and disease burden.
Revisiting the program’s core components means that Health Union can now better help clients:
- Understand condition-specific patient journeys
- Validate target patient profiles (in terms of demographics, disease burden, treatment experiences, and information-seeking)
- Construct brand user profiles and how they compare to others using a competing product
- Explore varied condition experiences and the changes that occur according to line of therapy or disease stage
- Augment situation analyses and/or RWE or HEOR-related analyses
Health Union’s syndicated research harnesses patient driven insights to help brands develop foundational knowledge from the patient perspective. Interested in learning more? We invite you to fill out the form below.
Related Articles
Skin Cancer Survey Spotlights Frustration with Perceptions of ‘Less Serious’ Condition
People living with skin cancer struggle with perceptions that their condition is less serious than other types of cancer despite significant physical and emotional impact, according to Skin Cancer In America 2018, a national survey by Health Union, LLC of people diagnosed with the condition.
Let’s Talk About IBS: What people with IBS want others to know
IBS can cause gastrointestinal symptoms that have a substantial negative impact on one’s life, which is often amplified by the condition’s impact on a patient’s emotional well-being. The “IBS In America 2018” survey conducted by Health Union gathered insights from over 1,500 people currently suffering from IBS to better understand the condition’s impact on their lives. The survey found that 45% of people with IBS are apt to experience anxiety or panic disorders, with stress also being a trigger for many patients.
Prostate Cancer Survey Highlights Impact on Social, Emotional Well-Being
The emotional impact of prostate cancer – from diagnosis to side effects from treatments – often outweighs the physical impact, according to “Prostate Cancer In America,” a national survey by Health Union, LLC of men with prostate cancer and their caregivers.