WE ALL DEAL with being under the weather differently.
You might dread being sick, so you do everything in your power to push through. Alternatively, you may start feeling sorry for yourself at the first sign of the sniffles. Cancelling all your plans, wrapping yourself up in a duvet and plonking yourself in front of the television until you feel well enough to engage with the world again.
Fresh new research* on cold and flu has revealed some interesting insights around our varying attitudes towards cold and flu here in Ireland. We’ve compiled the research, as well as expert commentary from pharmacist Tomas Conefrey of Conefrey’s CarePlus Pharmacy, Dublin, below.
Firstly, what do we hate the most about having a cold and flu? Fevers, headaches and coughs are ranked as the most disruptive symptoms. Not only do they make us feel awful, but they can stop us from leaving the house and socialising over fears of spreading a cough to family and friends.
As per the research, women are more likely than men to find cough and cold symptoms disruptive. Don’t shoot the messenger! Next time a man in your life starts complaining about cold and flu symptoms, don’t write it off as simple man flu.
With that being said, women – and in particular boomers – have a higher threshold for knowing when they’re ill meaning they’ll only describe themselves as sick once they can’t get out of bed. Men (and Gen Z) are more likely to say that they’re sick when they can’t go to work, so there is a bit of a difference there. So basically, women find the symptoms more disruptive but soldier on regardless!
The majority of Irish adults aim to treat a cold or flu quickly, with most of us looking for a solution within 3 days. Pharmacist Tomas Conefrey has noticed a generational difference in what sort of cure we look for.
The younger generation come in and they want a ‘pill for all ills’,” he said. “I’ve noticed that older people are happy where they might take two paracetamol and go to bed or take a hot whiskey or something like that. Younger people come in and all the brands trip off their tongues. They come in knowing what they want. Something that solves it all in one go.”
In general, females are marginally looking for a cure-all for their symptoms. This doesn’t mean that men are quietly suffering through symptoms without a cure, as Tomas explains.
“In the past, I would’ve said that they [men] nearly had to be crawling out of the bed to come in and get something but it’s a bit more even now, especially with younger guys. The first sign of a symptom, a lot of them are in, which is a good thing for their health. They’re more conscious of their health, they’re more proactive in looking after their health.”
When it comes to taking time off work, only 2 in 5 Irish adults say that they are likely to look for time off for a cold or flu. Women are less likely than men to look for time off work when they have a cold or the flu. This ties in with women having a higher threshold for what they consider as being sick.
Irish people are considering work as a priority for getting remedies, believes Tomas.
A lot of people are working in offices etc, people are saying I need to get through this week, I need a cure,” Tomas said.
As for the best place to go for a cure, Tomas said “Pharmacies are so accessible. If you want to go see a doctor you have to wait, at least around us. Whereas a pharmacy is more you walk in without an appointment. They’re on every main street in every county.”
According to the research, the vast majority of Irish adults are conscious of making others sick. Many are worried about spreading their cough symptoms in particular. Women are more likely to be conscious of spreading symptoms than men, and are more likely to use hand sanitisers or masks than men.
Lastly, our Irish sense of humour and creative use of language comes through when it comes to describing our wellness. Words and phrases often used to describe how we feel with a cold or flu are ‘an awful dose’ and ‘smothered’.
‘Sick as a dog’ and ‘floored’ also feature. Females are more inclined to use violent imagery to describe their symptoms, with ‘run over by a bus’ and ‘hit by a train’ popular descriptions. Sound familiar?
*Consumer research on cold & flu was conducted by Coyne Research for Perrigo in April 2023
Coming down with a cold or flu? Always ask your pharmacist for advice.
New Solpa Cold & Flu Multi-Relief Max Powder for Oral Solution to relieve all the symptoms of colds and flu and the pain and congestion of sinusitis, including aches and pains, headache, blocked nose and sore throat, chills and feverishness (high temperature). The only max strength, triple active formulation available, suitable for adults, the elderly and children aged 16 years and over. Always read the leaflet.
For more information about cold and flu, visit Boots.
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