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Canadian public perception of anesthesiologists: results from a national survey

Perception des anesthésiologistes par le public canadien : résultats d’un sondage national

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Abstract

Purpose

As Canadian health systems experience greater pressure to deliver timely perioperative care, public opinion is likely to influence health care policy decisions. Since Canadian public perception of anesthesiologists is unknown, the goal of this Canadian-wide survey was to begin to quantify public opinion regarding anesthesiologists in Canada.

Methods

The Maru/Blue international market research group was contracted to survey the Canadian public on their perceptions of anesthesiologists. The anonymous bilingual polling surveys were presented to consenting Canadians, who earn credits from Maru/Blue that provide financial reward for participation, by means of an online survey tool. Results were weighted by education, age, sex, region, and language to match census data with an estimated margin of error of ± 3.0%, 19 times out of 20.

Results

In August 2020, 1,511 randomly selected consenting Canadian adults recruited by the Maru/Blue research group in all ten provinces answered five sequential questions with variably presented answers. A total of 812 (54%) respondents identified as female. Most participants were from Ontario (38%) and Quebec (24%). The majority of participants, 778 (52%), were over 55 yr of age, with 496 (33%) having an annual income of between CAD 50,000 and 100,000. Only 41% (624/1,511) of respondents identified the most responsible anesthesia provider as a physician, with the next most frequent response being that the anesthesia provider was unknown (350/1,511; 23%). The median [interquartile range] impression of anesthesiologists was favourable [favourable–somewhat favourable], with 310/1,511 (21%) expressing an unknown impression.

Conclusions

Over half of surveyed Canadians did not identify the most responsible anesthesia provider as a physician.

Résumé

Objectif

Alors que les systèmes de santé canadiens subissent une pression accrue pour fournir des soins périopératoires en temps opportun, l’opinion publique est susceptible d’influencer les décisions stratégiques en matière de soins de santé. Comme la perception du public canadien à l’égard des anesthésiologistes est inconnue, l’objectif de cette enquête pancanadienne était de commencer à quantifier l’opinion publique à l’égard des anesthésiologistes au Canada.

Méthode

Le groupe d’études de marché international Maru/Blue a été mandaté pour sonder le public canadien sur ses perceptions des anesthésiologistes. Les sondages bilingues anonymes ont été présentés à des personnes canadiennes consentantes, qui obtiennent des crédits de Maru/Blue qui offrent une récompense financière pour leur participation, au moyen d’un outil de sondage en ligne. Les résultats ont été pondérés en fonction de l’éducation, l’âge, le sexe, la région et la langue pour apparier les données du recensement avec une marge d’erreur estimative de ± 3,0 %, 19 fois sur 20.

Résultats

En août 2020, 1511 personnes adultes canadiennes consentantes sélectionnées au hasard et recrutées par le groupe de recherche Maru/Blue dans les dix provinces ont répondu à cinq questions séquentielles avec des réponses présentées de façon variable. Au total, 812 des personnes ayant répondu (54 %) se sont identifiées comme des femmes. La plupart des participant·es venaient de l’Ontario (38 %) et du Québec (24 %). La majorité des participant·es, 778 (52 %), avaient plus de 55 ans, et 496 (33 %) avaient un revenu annuel compris entre 50 000 et 100 000 CAD. Seulement 41 % (624/1511) des personnes ayant répondu ont indiqué que le/la prestataire d’anesthésie le/la plus responsable était un·e médecin, la réponse la plus fréquente étant que le/la prestataire d’anesthésie était inconnu·e (350/1511; 23 %). L’impression médiane [écart interquartile] des anesthésiologistes était favorable [favorable - plutôt favorable], 310/1511 (21 %) exprimant une impression inconnue.

Conclusion

Plus de la moitié des Canadiennes et Canadiens interrogé·es n’ont pas identifié le/la prestataire d’anesthésie le/la plus responsable comme étant un·e médecin.

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Notes

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Author contributions

David Neilipovitz, Jane Cooke-Lauder, Gregory L. Bryson, and Daniel I. McIsaac contributed to all aspects of this manuscript, including study conception and design; acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data; and drafting the article.

Disclosures

Dr. Neilipovitz is a past Chair of Ontario’s Anesthesiologists and a co-lead on Ontario’s Anesthesiologists Beyond the Mask initiative. Dr. Cooke-Lauder has served as a consultant to Ontario’s Anesthesiologists.

Funding statement

No external funding was obtained for this project. Funded with residual administrative funds.

Editorial responsibility

This submission was handled by Dr. Stephan K. W. Schwarz, Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d’anesthésie.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    David Neilipovitz MD, FRCPC, Gregory L. Bryson MD, FRCPC, MSc & Daniel I. McIsaac MD, MPH, FRCPC

  2. The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    David Neilipovitz MD, FRCPC, Gregory L. Bryson MD, FRCPC, MSc & Daniel I. McIsaac MD, MPH, FRCPC

  3. Bataleur Enterprises Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jane Cooke-Lauder BA, MBA, DBA, CMC

  4. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus, 1053 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON, K1Y 4E9, Canada

    David Neilipovitz MD, FRCPC

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  1. David Neilipovitz MD, FRCPC
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Correspondence to David Neilipovitz MD, FRCPC.

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This article is accompanied by an editorial. Please see Can J Anesth 2023; https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-023-02540-0.

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Neilipovitz, D., Cooke-Lauder, J., Bryson, G.L. et al. Canadian public perception of anesthesiologists: results from a national survey. Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth 70, 1425–1432 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-023-02541-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-023-02541-z

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