Morocco 2024: knowledge and behaviors about microbiota

1. In Morocco, knowledge of the microbiota is more limited than elsewhere

Knowledge of other microbiota is similar to the average in Morocco:

• 20% know exactly the vaginal microbiota (vs 20% overall),
• 19% know exactly the ENT microbiota (vs 16% overall) and
• 17% know exactly the skin microbiota (vs 17% overall).

2. Moroccans also stand out for their low level of knowledge of the role and functions of microbiota, compared to the overall results

Only 1 in 3 Moroccans knows that the microbiota is not located exclusively in the intestines (vs 46% overall), and only 45% are aware that the microbiota enables the intestine to transmit information essential for their health to the brain (vs 53% overall).

However, the majority of Moroccans tend to change their behaviors to maintain the balance of their microbiota, a proportion similar to that of all the countries surveyed (61%, vs 58% overall), but 22% do so even a lot, a figure higher than the average (vs 17% overall).

However, their consumption of probiotics (30%) or prebiotics (27%) is very low, well below that of other countries (respectively 50% and 44% overall).

3. Healthcare professionals have a central role to play in transmitting information about microbiota in Morocco

While Moroccans appear to be slightly better informed about microbiota than in other countries, this is still only by a small majority

On the other hand, fewer Moroccans were prescribed probiotics or prebiotics (42%, vs 50% overall).

In summary

Moroccans know little about microbiota, its role and functions, but tend to adopt good behavior to preserve them. It is imperative that healthcare professionals step up the dissemination of specific information on the microbiota in order to fill these gaps.

Methodology

The survey was conducted over the Internet between January 26 and February 26, 2024. For each country, the sample is representative of the population aged 18 and over in terms of :

• gender
• age
• profession
• region
   

Representativeness was ensured via quota sampling, the most commonly used sampling method for obtaining a representative sample of the population studied. The quota variables for each country were gender, age, region, and socio-professional category. The data were adjusted:

• within each country, again to ensure that each population is representative
• globally, so that each country has the same weight. Statistical analyses were carried out using Cosi software (M.L.I., France, 1994), with a significance level of 95%

The survey population was 48% male and 52% female. The average age was 46.1 years. The sample of 7,500 individuals made it possible to carry out a detailed analysis by age group:

• 18-24
• 25-34
• 35-44
• 45-59
• 60 and over
   

Changes from one year to the next have been measured on a like-for-like basis, i.e. calculated taking into account only those countries present in both the first and second editions of the survey. While we do have results for the new countries included in this second edition (Poland, Finland, Morocco, and Vietnam), they have not been taken into account when calculating trends, since they were not included in the first edition of the survey. 
 

The questionnaire includes 27 questions on:

1. socio-demographic data
2. the level of knowledge about microbiomes
3. the level of and desire for information from healthcare professionals
4. the identification and adoption of behaviors designed to combat microbiome imbalances
5. the level of knowledge, information, and behaviors of women about the vulvo-vaginal microbiome
6. health data

The questionnaire lasted ten minutes and the 7,500 individuals had to complete the entire questionnaire in order to be included in the survey. The terms used in the questionnaire to talk about the microbiome have been translated and adapted to the terms used in each country.

BMI-23.47