NHP Canada

Exploring User Perceptions Towards Natural Health Products In Canada

Mithula Naik - Nourhan Hegazy - Theresa Slater

Identify

Explore

Ideate

Design

NHP Brief Health Canada wants to help consumers make well-informed decisions about Health Product choices.

The scope of the project includes all items regulated by an NPN number. This regulation came into effect in 2004.

Products regulated under this code, include natural health products like vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies.

Further, this code includes non-prescription drugs like cough syrup, inflammation relief and other such over-thecounter drugs. This licensing program assess’ each medicinal ingredients in relation to dose, potency, and documented safety concerns.

Health Canada’s Mandate Canadians deserve safe, effective and high quality Natural Health products. Recognizing the overload of information available, both in magnitude of studies or magnitude of choice at the store -some consumers may find parsing this data challenging, thus leading to poor choices. We sought to understand “what factors consumers consider in making informed choices.”

Our Key Objectives: 1: How do users seek information regarding NHPs? 2: What are the Risks associated with use of NHPs? 3: Do people know they can provide feedback to Health Canada ?

Identify

Explore

Ideate

Design

Data Collection Methods 1: Literature Review 2: Observations (AEIOU Framework) 3: Intercept Interviews 4: Expert Interviews 5: Personal Inventory

Observations & Intercepts

Pharmacies

NHP Stores

China Town

The specialty store attests to the economic value of Natural Health Products as being independently sufficient for business.

The counter sales person is versed in product purpose and dosage.

NHP Stores

Many of the products had aftermarket stickers to add the NPN code.

NHPs integrated with diet, knowledge generated through cultural upbringing

China Town

Reluctant to talk about NPN products given bags of herbs remained unlabeled.

China Town

Consultation counter is clearly marked as are the sales stickers and brandmarketed bottles.

Pharmacist will recommend a variety of products, yet are reluctant to recommend natural health products given evidence of efficacy.

Pharmacies

Tools for organizing prescription medications advocated in pharmacy, same not done for NHPs.

Lots of options and promotions create confusion for users.

Pharmacies

Name, brand, marketing material very visible

Important Info on the back regarding dangers of use if pregnant almost Invisible

Artifact Analysis

Information online is abundant, how users we know whats credible and what to information to trust?

Online Spaces

Online concultation is a trend and drastically varies in price and quality. Yet is an alternative way to access expertise.

Online Spaces

Expert Interviews People don’t understand the larger system of their medication, thus make random decisions.

Specialist doctors well versed in the NHP products people take, actively prescribes certain NHP products in parallel with prescription.

Pharmacists feel pressured to be careful about advise.

Not sure about the content, dosage and evidence of NHPs.

Alternative medicine is trending, multidisciplinary clinics are more common, but there are lots of buzz words.

Unaware of number of drug interactions caused by prescriptive and NHP consumption.

Users depend on online content alot.

Stakeholders dont sit in the same table.

Naturopaths can prescribe anti-biotics

Naturopath

Pharmacists feel pressured to be careful about advise.

Not sure about the content, dosage and evidence of NHPs.

Pharmacist

hygiene Sleep

entertainment

leisure

Cooking

Bedroom

Kitchen

Bathroom

Where Do You Keep Your Nhps At Home?

Living Room

Personal Inventory NHPs are integrated with users lifestyle, this is seen through the communal spaces.

Where Do You Keep Your Nhps At Home?

Data Synthesis 1: Sytem Map 2: Personas 3: User Journey

Brainstorming

Mapping Players in the System

How may users keep Health Canada informed?

Google Reviews

Family

Blogs

Friends communities

Online Professionals

Online E-commerce

Influencers Traditional Outlets

Grocery Stores

NHP Producers

Online Communities

Health Canada

Distributers

Consumer

Gyms Pharmacies NHP Stores Spas

Naturopath

Health Institutes

Pharmacists

Doctors

How may Health Canada keep users informed?

Re-Framing Question How may we create a feedback loop between Health Canada and NHP users to identify NHP Risks?

Access to Credible Information

High

Risk Spectrum

Larry the Last Resort

Trendy Trevor

Low

Gigi the Granola

Low

Frequency of Use

High

Persona

User Journey After Using NHP

Before Using NHP

Suffers from anxiety

Reads Reviews Online

Explores Options in the Market

Moment of Choice

Becomes Pregnant due to Adverse Effect

“Considers herself an Expert and overlooked warnings�

Gigi the Granola Gigi considers herself an expert on natural health products and uses them regularily. Recently, she has been feeling much anxiety and is not comfortable speaking about it. She is also taking birth control pills.

Uses NHP anti-depressant in parallel with birth control

GAINS

PAINS Shy to talk Suffers from Anxiety Considers herself an Expert and overlooked warning on label

Persona

User Journey After Using NHP

Before Using NHP

He has a dramatic allergic reaction to the shake

Here’s about proteing shake from friends who have tried it.

Needs to get fit.

Joins a Gym

Moment of Choice “Considers his friends Experts and overlooked his needs”

Trendy Trevor Trevor likes to follow the latest trends.

His friends recently recommended a protein shake that will make him beach ready for the summer. He trusts his friend’s experiences with the product.

GAINS

PAINS Wants to get fit Pancreas stress, exemplifying allergy from soy

Persona

User Journey After Using NHP

Before Using NHP

doctor recommends muti vitamin for general health

Sale on different of Brand

He uses it chronicly for long durations

He doesn’t recognize a difference, even though the concentration of drugs were different

Moment of Choice “Based on price”

Larry the Last Resort Larry is brand loyal. He only trusts brands he’s used for a long time. His doctor refered him to a multi-vitamin three years ago and he has been complying since. However, recently he is trying to save money due to economic constraints.

GAINS Saved money

PAINS Budget constraints

What does this mean?

Insights...

How may we connect users to consultation?

How may we highlight risks through visual dialogue

How may we incentivize users to report adverse effects

Identify

Explore

Ideate

Design

Idea Book Limit Distribution to specialized stores.

Connecting Practitioners

Allergies

Publication

NHP Reps

Gamification

Subsidies

Risk Hierarchy

Free Consultation

Membership Benefits

QR Codes on Labeling

no label

Crowd sourcing Data

Store Rewards

User friendly Website

Awareness Publication

Information Hierarchy

Instore NPN Scanning Device

Carrots

Sticks

Sermons

THE SERMON

How may we connect users to consultation?

IDEA #1: KNOWLEDGE SHARING PLATFORM FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALTH. Health Circle is an initiative by Health Canada, that brings together doctors, pharmacists and naturopaths at a round table to discuss and provide integrative health insights.

Health Circle

Health Circle

THE STICK

How may we highlight risks through visual dialogue

IDEA #3: A SYSTEM FOR WAYFINDING RISK. Expanding wayfinding into Health Canada’s website through making access to information more visible and user friendly may attract users to more readily seek information through Health Canada, as opposed to random sources. Furthermore, developing a structure for high, medium and low risk NHPs may guide users to seek guidance with certain types of products. One mechanism for doing so is through embedding signs and symbols, that are visible in in our everyday objects and environments.

High Risk The Traffic Light

Medium Risk Low Risk

THE CARROT

How may we incentivize users to report adverse effects

IDEA #2: PHARMACIST KNOWS BEST Regulating NHPs through touchpoint between pharmacist and patient when obtaining a prescription for medication.

NHP User

Doctor Pharmacist

Touch Point Pharmacists ask about Allergies but don’t ask about NHPs. Add Question: What NHP products are you using?

Have you previously experienced Adverse Effects?

Mapping Players in the System

How may users keep Health Canada informed?

Google Reviews

Family

Blogs

Friends communities

Online Professionals

Online E-commerce

Influencers Traditional Outlets

Grocery Stores

NHP Producers

Online Communities

Health Canada

Distributers

Consumer

Gyms Pharmacies NHP Stores Spas

Naturopath

Health Institutes

Pharmacists

Doctors

How may Health Canada keep users informed?

Mapping Players in the System

How may users keep Health Canada informed?

Google Reviews

Family

Blogs

Friends communities

Online Professionals

Online E-commerce

Influencers Traditional Outlets

Grocery Stores

NHP Producers

Online Communities

Health Canada

Distributers

Consumer

Gyms Pharmacies NHP Stores Spas

Naturopath

Health Institutes

Pharmacists

Doctors

How may Health Canada keep users informed?

Identify

Explore

Ideate

Design?

Questions?

Ideas?

NHP Stories?