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?