NHS Choices awareness and usage tracking survey, Jan 2014

Public Information Customer Insight Public Information

March 2014

Public Omnibus Survey Wave 9, January 2014

NHS Choices Customer Insight


Contents

Introduction

- Research objectives

- Sample and methodology

- Summary

Slides 3-8

Internet Usage

- Prevalence & frequency

Slides 9-11

Online Health Information & Apps

- Usage and interest in using the internet for health & social care info

- Perceptions of reliability and usefulness of the internet for health & social care info

- Devices used to lookup health & social care info

- Use oft health apps

Slides 12-17

Awareness & Usage of NHSC

- Benchmarking against previous survey waves

- Comparisons with other websites

Slides 18-21

Site Users

- Profile of personal and professional users

Slides 22-26

Evidence of behaviour change

- Impact on confidence

- Use of site to reduce health risk

Slides 27-29

Satisfaction, Future Usage & Advocacy

- Benchmarking against previous survey wave

Slides 30-31

Conclusions and Recommendations

Slides 32-33


Introduction


Research Objectives

Benchmark the use of the internet, particularly for health information

- Understand frequency of internet usage among the general population

- Understand how adults currently perceive and use online health and social care information

- Track how the pattern of internet usage for health and social care info is changing, including the devices used, and the uptake of health apps

Understand the profile and needs of current users

- Understand the profile of site users compared with the general population

- Explore how many different adults users have looked up health and social care information for on NHS Choices

- Understand how the site is meeting the needs of current users and how satisfied they are

- Identify users’ attitudes and behaviours with regard to their health

Track awareness and usage of the NHS Choices website

- Track the awareness and usage of NHS Choices compared with previous waves of the survey


Sample and Methodology

Type of survey Omnibus survey conducted by TNS

Methodology CAPI (computer assisted personal interviewing)

Conducted in respondents’ homes

Fieldwork dates 17th – 21st January 2014

Sample Total sample n=1,751

Results weighted to provide total population figures

Bases indicate the unweigthed (actual) number of survey responses and the equivalent nationally

representative figure (weighted base)

For example, the unweigthed base for NHS Choices users is 302 survey respondents, which is

equivalent 7,412,000 users nationally in England

Throughout this report, all weighted bases excluded the final three digits (so 7,412,000 users is

displayed as n=7,412)

Sample

distribution

Nationally representative sample of the general public in England (only adults aged 16+ included in

the sample)

Previous research

conducted

Previous waves of the public research omnibus survey have been conducted as follows:

Wave 1: September 2007 (Ipsos MORI survey)

Wave 2: December/January 2008 (Ipsos MORI survey)

Wave 3: October 2009 (TNS survey)

Wave 4: June 2010 (TNS survey)

Wave 5: March 2011 (TNS survey)

Wave 6: December 2011 (TNS survey)

Wave 7: August 2012 (TNS survey)

Wave 8: January 2013 (TNS survey)

Sample and Methodology


- Over half (55%) of the population have gone online to look up health or social care information – approximately 22.1 million adults

- The majority (65%) lookup health and social care information using a laptop, but tablet usage has increased significantly in the last year to 32% (+16% points)

- 58% of adults trust health and social care information on NHS websites

- Symptom checking is the most common type of information sought – approximately13.8 million adults (34%) look this up online

- 36% regularly use health or fitness apps – approximately 14.5 million adults

- The most popular apps are those that provide adults with general health and social care information, symptom checkers and help with fitness/strength

- Internet usage in the past 3 months has increased from 83% in January 2013 to 85% in January 2014, and 84% of those adults use it on a daily basis

Summary #1

Internet usage

Awareness and usage of the NHS Choices website

- Spontaneous awareness of NHS Choices has increased from 5% in January 2013 to 9%, and prompted awareness (name and screenshots shown) has increased by +4% points to 33%

- 18% claim to have used NHS Choices when prompted (+1% point)

Online health information and apps


- The proportion of those using NHS Choices only for personal reasons has increased from 64% to 72% since January 2013

- 23% of NHS Choices users are professional users (including 14% that also use it for personal reasons), a decrease of 9% points since January 2013

- Including those professional users that also use NHS Choices for personal reasons, the total percentage of personal users is currently 86% (a 4% point increase since January 2013)

- Compared to the general public and internet users overall, NHS Choices users are more likely to be women, aged 25-44 and of social grade C1

- 43% of NHS Choices users have children

- 96% of NHS Choices users have looked-up information on behalf of others, with each user sourcing information for an average of 4 other people in addition to themselves

Summary #2

The profile and needs of current users


- Overall satisfaction has decreased by 5% points since January 2013 to 83%

- Likelihood to recommend has also decreased by 5% points since the last survey wave (82%)

- However, 95% are likely to use NHS Choices again

Behaviour and attitude change

- Over half (52%) of personal users have checked their symptoms using NHS Choices, while over one in three (36%) have looked-up health information

- Over one in three (35%) personal site users have used the health information from NHS Choices to undertake a positive health, lifestyle or safety action (e.g. eat more healthily, stop smoking, start running, etc)

- There has been a 2% point increase since January 2013 in the proportion that say NHS Choices improves their confidence when dealing with health professionals (55%)

Summary #3

Satisfaction, advocacy and likelihood of repeat visits


Internet Usage


14% 13%

29% 27%

45% 43%

3% 3%

28% 28%

12% 12%

3% 2%

5%4%

6%3%

1% 1%

4% 3%

3% 1%

83% 85%

66% 68%

96% 96%

68% 68%

85% 87%

49%53%

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Jan

2013

Jan

2014

Yes,

within

the last 3

months

Yes, but

longer

than 3

months

ago

Never

used

+2% shift

+4% shift

+2% shift

DE Socio-economic group Total Parents Long Term Condition Carer

+2% shift

Q. How recently have you used the internet? Base: Jan 2013 all respondents n=1,709 un-weighted base, n=40,773 weighted base

Base: Jan 2014 all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base

85% have used the internet in the last 3 months, and frequency

of internet use is stable or increasing across all sub-groups

65+ years

- The proportion of DE’s who have accessed the internet in the previous 3 months has increased 2% points

- 2% more people over the age of 65 years are now using the internet

- Most parents have accessed the internet in the previous 3 months (96%)

- Two thirds (68%) of those with a LTC have accessed the internet in the past 3 months – in-line with the previous survey wave

- 87% of carers have accessed the internet in the past 3 months, a 5% point rise since Jan 2013

n=1,751 n=1,709 n=618 n=616 n=453 n=401 n=552 n=507 n=397 n=448 n=372 n=314


Base all who have used the internet n=1,447 un-weighted base, n=34,958 weighted base

The majority of internet users (84%) go online daily, particularly

younger adults, parents and those of higher social grades

Q. How frequently do you use the internet?

- The proportion of the general public who use the internet daily (84%) has increased +3% points

- Men are more likely than women to use the internet daily (86% v’s 82%)

- The following groups are significantly more likely to use the internet on a daily basis than the general population

- Parents (89%), 16-44 year olds (95%), ABC1’s (89%)


Online Health Information

& Apps


Over half (55%) report that they have used the internet to

look up health and social care information

Base all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400

There are some significant differences by sub-group:

- Women (59%) are more likely than men (50%) to have used the internet to look up health and social care

information

- Those with a long term conditions are less likely to use the internet to look up health and social care information

(48%) than those who do not have a condition (57%)

- Parents are more likely than non-parents to use the internet to look up health and social care information (65% vs

50%)

Q. Have your ever used the internet to look up health or social care information? (note: question asked only

about health information in previous waves)


1%

There has been significant increases in the use of mobile and

tablet devices to lookup health or social care information

Q. Which of the following devices have you ever looked up health or social care information on in

the last 12 months? (note: question asked only about health information in previous waves)

Base: Jan 2013 all who have used the internet to look up health information n=967 un-weighted base, n=24,664 weighted base

Base: Jan 2014 all who have used the internet to look up health information n=888 un-weighted base, n=22,142 weighted base

36% 65%

32% Other portable device

(e.g. PSP, iPod Touch) 3%

31%

+/-% change since Jan 13

-5%

+5%

+5%

+16%

-2%


Over half find online health & social care info useful, while trust

in NHS Choices info is higher compared to other online sources

I trust the reliability of

health and social care

information on an NHS

website

I trust the reliability of

health and social

information on the

internet in general

Q. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements about using the internet to look up health and social care information? (note: questions asked only about health information in previous waves)

I find health and social

care information on the

internet useful

45%

58%

54%




Symptom checking and searching for specific medical

information are most the common types of information sought

Q. For which of these reasons have you gone online to look up health or social care information in

the last 12 months? (note: question asked only about health information in previous waves)

Base all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base

NHSC Customer Sat.

Survey Dec 2013 (top 3)

%

For medical information 41%

To check symptoms 27%

For information about

health services

23%

Base: all respondents n=2,612 un-

weighted base


Over a third (36%) regularly use health and fitness apps, with

apps for conditions, treatment and healthy living the most popular

- 36% regularly use health or fitness

apps – that’s 14.5 million adults across

England

- Women are more likely than men to

regularly use health or fitness apps

(38% vs 34% respectively)

Q. Do you regularly use health or fitness apps to help or assist with any of the following...?

Base: all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,773 weighted base

* * * * * *

*


NHS Choices: Awareness & Usage


- 48% of respondents say they are aware on an ‘NHS’ website (NHS Choices, NHS Direct, other NHS/public site)

- There remains some confusion about NHS sites, with 13% not sure specifically which NHS/public site they were

aware of – some of these could have been referring to NHS Choices

Awareness of NHS Choices has rise +4% points to 9%, while a

further 13% recall an NHS public/site but are not sure which

Q. Which health and social care information websites, if any, have you heard of? Spontaneous

awareness. (note: question asked only about health information in previous waves)

Base all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base; internet users n=1,447

un-weighted base, n=34,958 weighted base *Asked previously as ‘Google’


51% (+20)

42% (-1)

24% (+10)

19% (+8)

10% (=)

10% (=)

9% (+4)

7% (+3)

6% (-1)

5% (+1)

4% (-1)

4% (+2)

3% (+3)

Internet users only (+/-/= change since Jan 2013)

Q. Which of these health and social care information websites have you used

in the last 12 months? (note: question asked only about health information in previous waves)

Base all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base; internet users n=1,447

un-weighted base, n=34,958 weighted base

Claimed usage of NHS Choices remains consistent – and with

exception of NHS Direct it is the most used health website

- Reported usage of NHS Choices remains consistent – rising 1% point to 9% among (10% among internet users)

- 51% of respondents say they had used any NHS website (a 2% point increase since the last wave)

- Spontaneous awareness of NHS Choices is in-line with unprompted claimed usage (both 9% respectively)

*Asked previously as ‘Google’


There is an upward trend in spontaneous awareness,

prompted awareness and claimed usage of NHS Choices

INTERNET USERS (for comparison to graph):

- Spontaneous awareness of NHSC among internet users is 10%, up from 6% in Jan 13

- Claimed usage of NHSC among internet users (shown screenshots) is 21%, a 1% point increase since Jan 13

- Awareness of NHSC amongst internet users (who see the screenshots) is 38%, a 4% point increase since Jan 13

Awareness and usage of NHS Choices, NHS websites (any) (note: question asked

only about health information in previous waves)

65%

63%

55%

51%

38%

21%

10%

Internet users only

Overall base all respondents n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base;

internet users n=1,447 un-weighted base, n=34,958 weighted base *Asked previously as ‘Google’


NHS Choices: Site users


72% of NHS Choices users are personal users, while a

significant minority (23%) use the site in a professional capacity

- There has been an 8% point increase in the proportion of personal site users since Jan 2013

- Combined with those professionals who also use the site for personal reasons, the overall proportion personal

users is 86% (a 4% point increase since Jan 13)

- There is 5% point decline of professional only users (9%), and the total number of health professionals using NHS

Choices is now 23% (a 9% point decline since Aug 2012)

For professional use (23%)

For myself, a

member of my

family or for a

friend (72%)

For personal and professional reasons (14%) - Health professional and personal reasons (9%)

- For both non-health professional and personal

reasons (5%)

For only professional reasons (9%) - Health professional (7%)

- Other professional looking for someone

else as part of my job( 2%)

- Other professional use (1%)

Positive or negative change in the proportion of people using the site since Jan 2013

Q. Which one of the following best describes the reason why you generally visit NHS Choices?

Base all NHSC users n=302, un-weighted base, n=7,412 weighted base

+8%

+4%

-9%

Please note the professionals are based on small

baseline of people when looking at the survey figures

(i.e. the un-weighted figure is approx. 76 people)

For personal use only (72%)

Total personal use including professionals

(86%)

+8%

+4%


NHS Choice users Internet users

Working status

Compared to the public and internet users overall, NHS Choices

users are more likely to be women, aged 25-34, C1s and have children

Base all respondents Jan 2014 n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base; all who have used the internet n=1,447 un-weighted base,

n=34,958 weighted base; used NHSC site n=385 un-weighted base, n=8,820 weighted base

Gender Age

Socio-economic group Children

General Public


NHS Choices users are also more likely to be carers when

compared to the general public and internet users more widely

Government office region

Long term condition (LTC) Carer

NHS Choice users Internet users General Public

Base all respondents Jan 2014 n=1,751 un-weighted base, n=40,400 weighted base; all who have used the internet n=1,447 un-weighted base,

n=34,958 weighted base; used NHSC site n=385 un-weighted base, n=8,820 weighted base


The vast majority (96%) will use NHS Choices to look up

health or social care information for others

One

Person

32%

None

4%

2-5

people

53%

6-10

people

5%

11-25

people

1%

Q. How many different people have you looked up health or social care information for on the NHS

Choices website?

Base all who have used the NHS Choices website n=302 un-weighted base, n=7,412 weighted base

- On average, an NHSC site user looks up information for 4 people

- Compared to Jan 2013, fewer adults are looking up information for just one other person (-11% points), while there

has been a +14% point increase in the proportion who look up health/social care information for 2-5 people

- In total, approximately 7.1 million users source information through the site for others

Don’t

know

1%

25+

people

5%


Evidence of behaviour change


19%

21%

34%

34%

30%

32%

11%

8%

7%

6%

2013

2014

Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither agree nor disagree

Slightly disagree Strongly disagree

Q. In the last 12 months, using the NHS Choices website has helped me be more confident when

seeing a doctor or other health professional…

Base Jan 2013: all who have used the NHS Choices website for personal use n=233, un-weighted base, n=5,727 weighted base

Base Jan 2014: all who have used the NHS Choices website for personal use n=264, un-weighted base, n=6,393 weighted base

Over half of NHS Choices users (55%) say the website has

made them more confident when dealing with health professionals

53%

55%

Positive or negative change in the proportion of people using the site since Jan 2013

+2%


87% take action based on the information they access on

NHS Choices, with 35% undertaking a health, lifestyle or safety activity

- 87% of personal site users have used information from NHS Choices to help with their health / lifestyle needs

- Over one in three (35%) personal site users have used the health information from NHS Choices to undertake a

positive health, lifestyle or safety action (e.g. eat more healthily, stop smoking, start running, etc)

Q. In the last 12 months have you ever used the information from NHS Choices to do any of the following?

Base all who have used the NHS Choices website for personal use n=264 un-weighted base, n=6,393 weighted base

*


Satisfaction, Future Usage & Advocacy


Base Jan 2013: all who have used the NHS Choices website n=282 un-weighted base, n=6,982 weighted base

Base Jan 2014: all who have used the NHS Choices website n=302 un-weighted base, n=7,412 weighted base

There has been a 5% point decrease in user satisfaction (83%)

& likelihood to recommend (82%), but 95% are likely to use the site again

Q. Overall, how satisfied were you with the NHS Choices website?

Q. How likely would you be to

recommend the NHS Choices

website?

Q. How likely would you be to use the NHS Choices website again?

- Across these questions on satisfaction, future usage and recommendation, it is good to see only a tiny proportion (less than

1% of users) selecting the extreme negative end of the scale – very dissatisfied with the site, definitely not recommend it or

use it again. This shows the site is meeting the needs of the vast majority of users.

0.3%

dissatisfaction -

1.7% since

March 2011 83%

Satisfaction

(-5% since

Jan 2013)

1% Unlikely

future usage

(-1% since

Aug 2012)

No change in

dissatisfaction

(1%)

95% Likely

future usage

(+1% since

Jan 2013)

No change in

unlikely future

usage (1%)

82% Likely to

recommend

(-5% since

Jan 2013)

6% Unlikely to

recommend

(+3% since

Jan 2013)


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NHS Choices awareness and usage tracking survey, Jan 2014

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Transcript of NHS Choices awareness and usage tracking survey, Jan 2014