Women’s Intimate Health

Please see below details of some upcoming research you may be interested in:

Subject	Women’s Intimate Health
Dates	Monday 5th August – Monday 12th August W/C 12th & W/C 19th August
Location	Online and In Your Own Home
Incentive	See below

We are conducting a research study to gain understanding of the role of both online and offline channels in the path to purchase of health products for treatment and everyday maintenance of women’s intimate health.

We’re looking to talk to women about their health, and intimate health in particular. We’d like to understand what matters most including how decisions are made, where they go for information and advice and any needs, wishes or ideals they have for ‘managing’ their intimate health now and in the future.

We’d also like to speak to 16 to 18 year olds,

You will be asked to carry out some tasks using an app to record your answers… this will include some selfie videos. After that an in-home interview will take place with a female moderator. All details and conversations are, of course, confidential.

For 19 to 55 year olds, the interview will last approximately 3 hours so we can discuss your thoughts and opinions in more detail.

For 16 to 18 year olds the interview will last 90 minutes.

The app based task will take place in the week from Monday 5th August and you will have 1 week to complete it (by Monday 12th August).

Incentive for this part of the research is £100, payable by BACS.

The interviews will take place on a day and time by arrangement during W/C 12th and W/C 19th August. You will receive a payment as a token of our appreciation of your time and help. The amount will vary according to your age and the time of day the interview takes place;

Age 16 to 18 – £60 (evening) £70 (daytime)
Age 19 to 55 – £70 (evening) £80 (daytime)

The interview will be audio-taped and some photos and ‘vox pops’ video clips may be taken.

The answers you give will form part of a confidential market research study. The results will be used solely for the purposes of this Market Research Study and will never be passed on to another company.

Looking for 9 females – 3 aged 16 to 19 and 6 aged 19 to 55 – to take part in this research.

If you’re interested in taking part in this project, please enter your details below, then click on the “Register For This Project” button at the bottom of this form.

Once we receive your application, if you fit the basic criteria, we will contact you for further screening before you’re selected to take part.

You will only be contacted if the answers you’ve provided meet the criteria for this project and we have spaces left on the group – if you do not receive a response then you are not required to participate on this occasion.

SELECT ETHNIC ORIGIN
White BritishWhite otherBlack CaribbeanBlack AfricanBlack otherIndianPakistaniBangladeshiAsian otherChineseWhite & Black CaribbeanWhite & Black AfricanWhite & AsianOther

Do you or any of your close friends or relatives work in any of the following industries (now or in the past)?

Marketing, Advertising, PR or DesignMarket ResearchJournalism/TV/RadioNational or local governmentHealthcare (independent, NHS, private brands)PharmaceuticalsHealthcare retailers (e.g. Boots)None of the above

Do you or any of your close friends or relatives work in any of the following organisations or sectors (now or in the past)?

BayerPfizerAstraZenecaRoche HoldingEisaiBoots/Superdrug/Lloyds PharmacyBBI HealthcareAny other pharmaceutical company or pharmacySupermarkets e.g. Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco etcNone of the above

Have you ever participated in a focus group discussion, or other market research interview? If so, how many?

NoneOneTwoThreeFour or more

When was the last time you attended a group discussion/depth interview?

Less than 6 months agoMore than 6 months agoNever

What subjects have you been interviewed on before?

What mobile operating system do you currently use on your smartphone?

iOS 11 or aboveAndroid 5 or aboveOther

Are you currently employed? If so are you:

Self-employed – working full-timeSelf-employed – working part-timeEmployed – working full-timeEmployed – working part-timeRetiredFull-time home-maker/carerFull time studentPart time studentUnemployed

Now a little about your family; are you:

Living with parents/other relatives/and no childrenLive on my own/friends/partner and no childrenLive with/without partner with all children aged 10 years and youngerLive with/without partner with at least one child aged 11-18yrsLive with/without partner and children have left home/in the process of leaving homeOlder Live with/without partner and have never had childrenOther

Which of the following types of health and beauty products have you used in the past month? (Choose all that apply)

ShampooConditionerFacial moisturiserBody moisturiserFacial cleanserFoundationEyelinerLipstickSelf-tan / bronzerPain relief (e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen)Allergy / hay fever reliefProtein powdersVitamins or supplementsNone of these

When it comes to choosing and purchasing intimate healthcare related products for yourself, are you the main decision maker and purchaser (i.e. no one chooses and buys the products on your behalf)?

Yes, I am the main decision maker and purchaserI do not buy or use intimate healthcare productsI use intimate healthcare products but someone chooses and/or purchases them on my behalfI do not buy or use intimate healthcare products and never would

When it comes to intimate health in general, how would you describe your approach?

I use products such as wipes or washes to cleanse and maintainI avoid scented soaps and certain types of underwear but am open to trying/ using products in the futureIntimate health isn’t something I think about unless I have an issue

When it comes to your overall intimate health, what do you do when something is not quite right?
(Choose all that apply)

I use products to cleanse and generally keep clean e.g. feminine wash and wipesI avoid using products and avoid using perfumed products or anything that causes irritation (e.g. synthetic fabrics, laundry detergents)I buy medicated products i.e. specific products from the intimate health section of the store/pharmacy/online that can help with the symptomsI go to the GP, pharmacist, GUM clinic or sexual health clinic to be diagnosedI haven’t had to treat any intimate health issuesI wait for symptoms to get better on their own

Which of the following symptoms have you experienced?
(Choose all that apply)

Unpleasant fishy odour in the vaginal areaGrey-white to yellow, liquid discharge in the vaginal areaWhitish, cheese curd-like discharge in the vaginal areaItching in the vaginal areaOdourless discharge in the vaginal areaSwelling in the vaginal areaOther - recordNo symptoms

Which of the following conditions, if any, are you aware of (You don’t need to have experienced these)?
(Choose all that apply)

Thrush or vaginal yeast infectionBacterial Vaginosis or BVCystitis/Urinary tract infection/bladder infectionNone of these

Which of the following conditions, if any, have you suffered from in the past?
(Choose all that apply)

1: Thrush or vaginal yeast infection2: Bacterial Vaginosis or BV3: Cystitis/Urinary tract infection/bladder infection4: None of these5: I haven’t had a diagnosis and am unsure which conditions I have suffered from

If you answered 1: (Experienced Thrush or vaginal yeast infection)
____________________________

How did you find out that you had this condition?
(Choose all that apply)

I went to the GP/pharmacy/GUM clinic/sexual health clinic and was diagnosedI self-diagnosed based on research or asking friends or familyI self-diagnosed based on prior experience of intimate health conditionsn/a

What is your approach to treating your symptoms?
(Choose all that apply)

I use medicated products e.g. creams or pessariesI make lifestyle changes such as avoiding perfumed intimate products or particular styles of underwearI wait for the symptoms to clear up on their ownI use natural remediesI use wipes/deodorants/washesOthern/a

How do you get the products you’ve used to treat your symptoms?
(Choose all that apply)

I purchase in store/pharmacy/online onlyI mainly purchase in store/online, but occasionally get prescription productsI mainly get prescription products but occasionally purchase in storeI get a prescription from the GP onlyn/a

When was the first time you experienced and treated your symptoms?

Within the last 12 months1-2 years ago2-3 years agoMore than 3 years agon/a

How many times have you experienced and treated your symptoms?

Once2-3 times4-5 timesMore than 5 timesn/a

When it comes to treating Thrush/your symptoms, which of the following medicated products:

a) Do you currently use?
b) Have used in the past?

Currently use
Canesten, e.g. Thrush Pessary Clotrimazole, Thrush Combi pessary and internal cream, Thrush Duo oral capsule and external cream, Thrush Cream Combi internal and external creamVagisil e.g. medicated cremeBoots own label e.g. Thrush cream, Thrush capsuleLloyds own label e.g. Thrush Femme 1% cream, Thrush reliefSupermarket own label (please record)Other - recordn/a

Have used in the past

Canesten, e.g. Thrush Pessary Clotrimazole, Thrush Combi pessary and internal cream, Thrush Duo oral capsule and external cream, Thrush Cream Combi internal and external creamVagisil e.g. medicated cremeBoots own label e.g. Thrush cream, Thrush capsuleLloyds own label e.g. Thrush Femme 1% cream, Thrush reliefSupermarket own label (please record)Other - recordn/a

____________________________

If you answered 2: (Experienced Bacterial Vaginosis or BV)
____________________________

What is your approach to treating Bacterial Vaginosis/your symptoms?
(Choose all that apply)

I use intimate health products which treat the symptoms e.g. gels or pessariesI make lifestyle changes such as avoiding perfumed intimate products or particular styles of underwearI wait for the symptoms to clear up on their ownI use natural remediesI use wipes/deodorants/washesI take antibioticsOthern/a

How do you get the products you’ve used to treat Bacterial Vaginosis/your symptoms?

When was the first time you experienced and treated Bacterial Vaginosis/your symptoms?

Within the last 12 months1-2 years ago2-3 years agoMore than 3 years agon/a

How many times have you experienced and treated Bacterial Vaginosis/your symptoms?

Once2-3 times4-5 timesMore than 5 timesn/a

When it comes to treating Bacterial Vaginosis symptoms/ your symptoms, which of the following products:

a) Do you currently use?
b) Have used in the past?

Currently use
Canesten e.g. Canesbalance Bacterial Vaginosis vaginal gelBalance Activ e.g. BV Pessary, BV GelRelactagel e.g. Vaginal GelMulti-gyn ActigelOwn label e.g. Boots, Supermarket, pharmacy (please record)Other - recordn/a

Have used in the past
Canesten e.g. Canesbalance Bacterial Vaginosis vaginal gelBalance Activ e.g. BV Pessary, BV GelRelactagel e.g. Vaginal GelMulti-gyn ActigelOwn label e.g. Boots, Supermarket, pharmacy (please record)Other - recordn/a

________________________________

In terms of intimate health brands, which of the following:

a) Would you consider buying?
b) Would you not consider buying?

Would consider
Balance ActivCanestenFemfreshBodyformLactacyd FeminaLil-LetsReplensSoft & Gentle WashVagisilCanesbalanceCanesfreshCanesflorCanestestSebamedSupermarket/boots own label (please record)MultiGyn (any variants - Floraplus, Actigel, Liquigel)Another type of intimate washProbiotic/supplementsOther

Would NOT consider
Balance ActivCanestenFemfreshBodyformLactacyd FeminaLil-LetsReplensSoft & Gentle WashVagisilCanesbalanceCanesfreshCanesflorCanestestSebamedSupermarket/boots own label (please record)MultiGyn (any variants - Floraplus, Actigel, Liquigel)Another type of intimate washProbiotic/supplementsOther

What’s most important to you when choosing intimate heath products to buy?

Recognised, well-reputed brandLowest/cheapest priceDiscreet packagingOn-pack promises e.g. fast-actingNatural ingredientsAppealing packagingNon-medicated products

How do you mainly buy Thrush/Bacterial Vaginosis treatments?

I mainly buy onlineI mainly buy instoreI have not bought any treatments for Thrush or Bacterial Vaginosis

Which ONLINE RETAILERS have you used to purchase these treatments?

AmazonSupermarket websitesBootsSuperdrugWilkoPharmacy websitesOtherNone – I always buy instore

Which STORES have you used to purchase these treatments?

BootsSuperdrugLloyds PharmacyWellRowlandsSupermarketIndependent/local pharmacyWilkoOtherNone – I always buy online

On a scale of 1 to 5 - where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree - To what degree do the following statements describe you?

I am comfortable about talking with other people, even if I have not met them before
1: Strongly Disagree2: Disagree3: Nor Agree or Disagree4: Agree5: Strongly Agree

I am open about expressing my thoughts and feelings, even if they differ from other people
1: Strongly Disagree2: Disagree3: Nor Agree or Disagree4: Agree5: Strongly Agree

I like to use my imagination to come up with new ideas
1: Strongly Disagree2: Disagree3: Nor Agree or Disagree4: Agree5: Strongly Agree

I am a confident, outgoing person
1: Strongly Disagree2: Disagree3: Nor Agree or Disagree4: Agree5: Strongly Agree

I am excited about trying new things and am open to new experiences
1: Strongly Disagree2: Disagree3: Nor Agree or Disagree4: Agree5: Strongly Agree

As a part of this research (in-home interview), we would like to you visit 1 or 2 stores where you usually buy/can buy intimate health products nearby to your house. These stores are: Boots, Superdrug and Tesco (large, not express).

Please confirm you are happy to visit a store?

YesNo

If so, please list your 3 nearest, relevant stores.

For the store visit(s), if they are not within 5-10 minutes walk from your house, are you able to drive the researchers & yourself to the store?

YesNo

Before the in-home interview, we would like you to complete the app based online task for 8-10 days (6 tasks in total).

Some of the tasks that you will be asked to do are:
* Upload videos & photos
* Comment on discussions/individual & group (nothing sensitive to be discussed in a group)
* Store visits (going to a store, taking photos, uploading and commenting)
* Story boards/collage

Are you happy to take part on this basis?

YesNo

During this research, you will be asked to discuss intimate health with 2-3 researchers (maybe including a female colleague from the end client). All researchers will be female. Can you confirm that you are happy and able to speak about intimate health with the recruitment team?

YesNo

In a film of your life, which actress would play you and why?

Date and time for your face-to-face (in-home) interview?