We’ve noted a lot of articles about emotion and neuroscience in recent months (see Research June 2011: http://www.research-live.com/features/measuring-emotion/emotional-research-is-about-more-than-just-measurement/4005491.article). Having spent the last 6-weeks or so interviewing patients as part of an extensive study, it was a good reminder that emotion is part and parcel of Healthcare market research. Albeit that the emotions observed from patients and physicians are entirely different.
Differences of course, are hardly surprising: when physician research necessitates an understanding of emotions, this tends to be related to their underlying attachments to brands or the emotions that underpin brand selection. With patients, research yields an understanding of their relationship with their illness or disease (and of course treatment). And that brings with it an entirely different emotional perspective. Either way, it’s the kind of research that makes it that little bit easier to get out of bed in the morning…