Treatment choices
You would be forgiven for thinking that hayfever is a fairly straightforward category for customers to navigate. However, 64 per cent of participants in a recent survey were confused about whether they were suffering from a cold or an allergy.
When it came to treatments, 62 per cent of hayfever sufferers surveyed said their current hayfever medication was ineffective, and only four per cent said it actually eliminated their symptoms. For the majority (60 per cent), medication only made their symptoms bearable.
In addition, of the 39 per cent of sufferers who used a steroid nasal spray, only 14 per cent were using it correctly. This means that for 86 per cent of patients, their nasal spray will be ineffective.
So there is clearly a need for pharmacy teams to engage customers and advise them on the most suitable treatment for their needs and, mportantly, how to use that treatment.
Fast facts
Hayfever is more common in boys than girls, but affects adult men and women equally.
The number of older people suffering from hayfever for the first time is rising.
A third of adults with hayfever say that symptoms have a considerable negative impact on their work, home and social life.
Children often find that their symptoms impact on their schooling, which can delay learning and development. In fact, many teenagers will drop at least one grade in their exams because of their allergy.