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Health data can provide insight for many types of business. Before skipping over the rest of this article consider whether health data could be of value in your own business research.
Obviously it is essential for Health Care professionals. It allows them to understand the financial performance of their peers and assess the potential of their market.
There are however many other businesses that can benefit from Health Sector data. Basically, Health Sector data is of value to any business whose target market involves a specific health condition, specific health behaviours (e.g. eating habits, physical activity) or involves selling a product/service to other health care businesses.
For example a dog training service could find health data of use both in determining market demand and as a marketing tool to educate the public on the importance of training.
Searching on the worse case scenario of a untrained dog - biting - we find a report on dog bites and attacks at the CHIRPP portion of the Health Canada site. It indicates injuries associated with dog bites and dog attacks were sustained most frequently by 5-9 year olds in the victim's home. In nearly a third of the cases the family dog is involved. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/injury-bles/chirpp/injrep-rapbles/dogbit_e.html
A dog training business could use this data to then market to families with children in the high risk age group alerting them to the importance of training the family dog.
Other non-health professional businesses that could benefit from health data include medical device manufacturers, food processors meeting specific dietary needs, and tour operators targeting disabled travellers.
There are three principal sources for Health Sector data.
The first is Health Canada. ( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/) This source specializes mostly in disease surveillance (data on the number of incidences of a particular condition) but it also includes information on economic impacts as well as other specialized studies. Most diseases have their own section or report within the Health Canada web site. For example Arthritis in Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/publicat/ac/index.html
The most effective way to search this site is to use their subject index and search on the disease or condition you are interested in.
The second primary source of Health Sector information is Statistics Canada. For basic health data see the Health section of the Canadian Statistics section of their web site: http://www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/health.htm
While the above data can be helpful, their online publication Health Indicators (http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-221-XIE/free.htm) is by far their best single source of Health Data. It provides current information on health status (e.g. stress levels), lifestyle behaviours (e.g. physical activity) and health care utilization (e.g. % of population that visit alternative health care professionals).
This source is particularly useful to business researchers because the data is available by local health region. Health regions are defined by provincial ministries of health, and represent geographic areas of responsibility for hospital boards or regional health authorities. For a list and maps of Health Regions across Canada see: http://www.statcan.ca/english/concepts/definitions/hlthreg-menu.htm
Statistics Canada conducts other health related surveys as well. One recent study which received a great deal of media coverage is the Canadian Community Health Survey. It covers data on many different health topics including % of population having difficulty finding a family doctor, changes in % smoking on a daily basis, obesity rates and sexual orientation. (http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/040615/d040615b.htm).
Statistics Canada is also responsible for the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey. This survey provides a variety of data on the disabled in Canada such as support measures for adults with disabilities (e.g. specialized equipment, help needed for everyday activities, dwelling modifications, local and long distance transportation)
Beyond major and on-going studies, Statistics Canada also produces a number of specialized "one-off" reports such as “Patterns of use: Alternative health care practitioners” (http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011213/d011213b.htm).
The best way to locate such reports from Statistics Canada is to keyword search the Daily: http://www.statcan.ca/english/dai-quo/. For further information on Stats Can health data see the publication Guide to Health information: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-573-GIE/free.htm
The third principle source for health data is the Canadian Institute for Health Information. (http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/splash.html) This organization tracks data on health care professions and health procedures (e.g. hysterectomies, injuries requiring a visit to the hospital etc.) They also track data on health care economics. You can access many of their reports at the CIHI web site. Some of their data is also provided through the Stats Can Health Indicators online publication. http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-221-XIE/free.htm (See right hand column of table of contents page)
You will find that the vast majority of the stats referenced above are only available at a national or provincial level. If any local data is provided, a Health Region is generally the smallest geographical area available. Local community data is difficult to find. Health data is extremely sensitive information and so to protect the privacy of individuals dissemination of local figures is often limited.
Your best option for local community data on specific conditions are local community organizations. They can usually provide you with an estimate of the number of people in your community who have a certain condition. At the very least they can identify the number of members they have.
For example you will not find any information from Statistics Canada or Health Canada that will provide you with the number of autistic children in Halton Region. But the Halton Chapter of the Autism Society of Canadian can inform you they have approximately 150 member families and that there are approximately 800 children in the region with autism. They can also let you know the types of products or services that are lacking in the various communities that make up the region
In addition to market insights, local Chapters also provide an opportunity for direct and effective marketing. Most health related organizations have at least one major fundraising event a year. They are always appreciative of donations both in funds or kind and their members often show this through year round support of your product or service. The result is that you gain positive and local exposure to your target market at a minimal cost to your advertising budget.
For basic local health data such as births and deaths see the annual publication Canadian Demographics by the Financial Post. For data by Census Division (regional municipality) you can use the Statistics Canada CANSIM table 051-0035. (Search on the table number at: http://cansim2.statcan.ca)
The release of new health data always generates interest and news coverage. Many organizations and associations therefore commission studies and surveys on specific health conditions or health care issues.
For example see the poll results released from Johnson & Johnson: More than Half of Canadian Parents Struggling to Get Baby to Sleep, Poll Shows http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2004/22/c7128.html It includes data such as: "59% of respondents have difficulty getting their baby to sleep one to four nights per week, and for an unlucky one in twenty (6%), every night is a struggle."
You can often locate these surveys by visiting the web sites of major organizations, by conducting a periodical search in your local library or by searching the Canada Newswire web site (http://www.newswire.ca/en/). Search on keywords related to the condition or disease you are interested in.
Other Health data resources of note are:
Data on financial benchmarks and business counts for your type of business can be accessed through our Canadian Industry Profiles. They cover a wide variety of sectors by 6-digit NAICS (http://www.gdsourcing.ca/SBDC.htm#CIP)
In addition to market and industry data do not forget to research your local competitors. When you are targeting a specific health service or condition you will often find a limited number of competitors who have a well established reputation in the market place. Make sure you understand what the perceived strengths and weaknesses are of your competition so that you can identify the market opportunities that exist for you.
The best source for information on health competitors is to talk to your market and local stakeholders such as health organizations and other vendors)
Do not dismiss the value of health data just because you are not a doctor or a politician. Stop and consider how health data may be related to your market. If your market is in any way defined by a health condition, service or behaviour, health data can help you to better understand the opportunities that exist.
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