Michele Corrado reveals what the public wants

The number of elderly people in the population is predicted to rise over the coming decades. This is partly due to the post-war baby boom generation reaching retirement age, but also to life expectancy for men and women being predicted to increase.  This general trend can be seen right across the developed world. The statistics are striking. 

In Britain, the Treasury has identified ageing as a key priority.  By 2031, a quarter of the population will be of pensionable age, compared to just 14 per cent in 1951. And by 2050, life expectancy for men is expected to be about 80 years, compared with around 76 years in 2001; that for women is predicted to be around 84 years, compared with 80 years in 2001. At the same time, the number of younger people is projected to fall slightly.

How does the current population feel about this?  And what types of scientific research does the public feel should be undertaken in order to prevent diseases and conditions associated with ageing?

Consultation

This spring, Ipsos MORI undertook a general public consultation into ageing and scientific research into ageing, on behalf of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC)(1). It comprised three general public workshops, followed by a large-scale, face-to-face quantitative survey among a representative sample of over 2,000 UK adults. 

The outcomes of this work are helping BBSRC and MRC to develop their strategies for research into age-related conditions.

Public priorities

In the workshop discussions, most people viewed ageing fairly pessimistically - in terms of a deterioration in health, rather than a natural life process.  It is perhaps not surprising then that there was huge endorsement (90 per cent agreed) in the quantitative study that research into ageing is vital to increase understanding of how quality of life can be maximised as people get older.

The findings also reveal far-sightedness on the part of the public.  Preventing ill-health, and not cure, is the public’s single most important area for research into ageing.  More than twice as many UK adults chose research into prevention over research into cure.  Second to prevention, and ahead of cure, came research focused on managing conditions, and how best to support and care for people who have ill-health. This perhaps reflects public awareness of the huge responsibilities involved in managing ill-health and medical conditions, and of providing support and care for such people.

Public preferences for allocation of research funds reveal that improving quality of life is the public’s most important criterion.  Also of importance is the need to provide benefit for the greatest number of people in the allocation of research funds (an indication of altruism), as well as prevention and cure.  Another factor influencing decisions included managing the effects of old age.  Value for money was mentioned by far fewer, as was scientific excellence – perhaps because the average member of the public is likely to know little about scientific excellence or, as was indicated from the qualitative research, the public assume excellence is a prerequisite for funding.

Public attitudes to consultation
We know from our earlier work at Ipsos MORI for the Office of Science and Technology (now Innovation)(2) that eight out of ten UK adults support public consultation on scientific development, and are keen for consultation to be followed by action on the outcomes.  A duty therefore lies with scientists, the media, policy makers and funding bodies to communicate the outcomes of scientific research, in this case on age-related conditions.

But when the public says they favour consultation, what do they actually mean?  And is public engagement engaging the public?  This was the title of the Wellcome Trust’s Engaging Science conference which I addressed earlier this year.   There I highlighted the fact that, from our work at Ipsos MORI, the public is unlikely to be content with consultation for consultation’s sake. 

Many members of the public are cynical that, in the case of government consultations at least, results will not be listened to or acted upon.  The public also says it wants to have more influence on decision making on science or scientific research that is conducted, than is currently the case. 

We know from our qualitative work that different people want different degrees and types of involvement.  Some simply want to be kept abreast of developments.  Others want to attend meetings and sit on decision-making panels.  And it is this desire for a range of types of involvement, if responded to appropriately, that is likely to further increase public engagement with science and its impact on society.

References
1.  This consultation builds on an earlier Ipsos MORI one for BBSRC and The Institute of Food Research, on diet and health.
2.   OST/MORI Science in Society, 2004.

Michele Corrado is Head of Medicine & Science Research at Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute