Spain: knowledge and behaviors about microbiota 2023 results
The Biocodex Microbiota Institute commissioned Ipsos to carry out a major international survey of 6,500 individuals across seven countries (France, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Brazil, Mexico, and China): the International Microbiota Observatory.
Microbiota are essential to our health, but remain poorly understood worldwide. Spaniards remain poorly informed about the microbiota and the behaviors required to best preserve it.
- 1. Spaniards know the least about microbiota, together with other countries (France, USA, Portugal)
- 2. Their awareness of the various behaviors needed to preserve the balance of their microbiota is poor...
- 3. Spaniards rarely see the connection between certain health problems and their microbiota
- 4. Above all, Spaniards rarely discuss this subject with healthcare professionals
- Methodology
1. Spaniards are also among the people that know the least about the microbiota, together with the French, Americans and, to a lesser extent, the Portuguese.
For example, only a small minority of Spaniards know the precise meaning of terms such as “dysbiosis” (only 6% vs. 10% overall) or “probiotic” (38% vs. 43% overall).
What exactly are probiotics?
Find out more...2. Their awareness of the various behaviors needed to preserve the balance of their microbiota is poor...
but is above the average for the study as a whole (4.2/7 vs. 4/7 overall). However, they tend not to apply them, being among the least likely to state that they’ve adopted behaviors to keep their microbiota as balanced as possible (54% vs. 57% overall).
3. Spaniards rarely see the connection between certain health problems and their microbiota.
Of the eight medical problems included in the survey, only one was linked to the microbiota by a majority of Spaniards suffering from it. This was antibiotic-associated diarrhea (53%). For all other health problems, the majority of Spaniards failed to see the link with their microbiota. This was the case for urogenital infections (only 34% of patients saw the connection), episodes of intestinal disorders (46%), digestive system disorders (44%), and gastroenteritis (34%).
The gut microbiota
Find out more...4. Above all, Spaniards rarely discuss this subject with healthcare professionals.
They are much less likely than average to have their doctor prescribe them probiotics or prebiotics (36% vs. 46% overall), to have their doctor explain the behaviors required to maintain as much as possible a good balance in the microbiota (33% vs. 44% overall), or to have been made aware of the importance of preserving as much as possible the balance in the microbiota (31% vs. 42% overall).
of Spaniards are much less likely than average to have their doctor prescribe them probiotics or prebiotics.
of Spaniards are much less likely than average to have their doctor explain the behaviors required to maintain as much as possible a good balance in the microbiota.
are much less likely to have been made aware of the importance of preserving as much as possible the balance in the microbiota.
In Spain, patient education is now key to explaining both the role of the microbiota and the behaviors needed to best preserve them. Here, health professionals have a part to play.
Methodology
The Ipsos Panel conducted a major online international survey involving 6,500 individuals, surveyed between March 21 and April 7, 2023 in 7 countries: the United States, Brazil, Mexico, France, Portugal, Spain and China.
Data was collected using the quota method, which is the most commonly used sampling plan for obtaining a representative sample of a study population. The quota variables for each country were:
- gender
- age
- region
- socio-professional category
The survey population included 48% men and 52% women. The average age was 46.9 years. The sample of 6,500 individuals allowed a detailed analysis by age group: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-59, 60 and over.
The 26-question included:
- socio-demographic data
- assessment of knowledge of the microbiota
- the level of and desire for information from healthcare professionals
- identification and adoption of behaviors aimed at combating microbiota imbalance
- women’s level of knowledge, information and behavior with regard to the vulvovaginal microbiota
- health data
