Target Market Research - Kevin

Psychology of the Built Environment

General focus: Overcoming psychological obstacles in the built environment through the ability to minimize stressors or completely overcome them. Quite often the built environment influences our behaviors in ways that are not normally perceived leading to undue stress. Stressors may include, noise, air pollution, crowding, uncomfortable temperatures, traffic, health, mobility, disasters, etc. Overcoming/minimizing these stressors can be accomplished through interventions with such features as color, sound, smell, pressure points, taste, touch, and magnets. A product is needed to give consumers back their independence and to remove their reliance on unnecessary prescription medications which in many cases are over prescribed.
Further research needs include understanding the types of elements contributing to stress factors, tolerances to these stressors, results of these stressors on health, family life and daily performance, impacts on health care systems, and the financial burden.

Target Groups

Phobias - Claustrophobia
The fear of being “shut in” or trapped and having no escape which results in panic attacks.

Prevalence: 5-6% of the population with only a fraction seeking help. More common in women than men.

Treatment: Behavior and exposure therapy (virtual reality), hypnotherapy, medication

Further Research: Effectiveness of treatment for those that do seek help. Prevalence in cities vs suburban areas.

Jet Lag
“Desynchronosis”, alteration of the body’s circadian rhythm from flying resulting in difficulty sleeping, fatigue, headaches, mild depression, constipation or diarrhea.

Anyone that travels by plane over several time zones

Treatment: SAD lights, melatonin, sleeping pills, special diets.

Further Research: Duration of jet lag and preventative measures, circadian rhythm and sleep patterns, effectiveness of devices.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Mood disorder in people who otherwise have normal health. Depression is brought about by changes in the seasons.

Prevalence: 2.4% of population, with women making up 75% of the sufferers. Median onset 18-30. Occurs both in Northern and Southern hemispheres but rare in those living with 30 degrees latitude of the equator. Severity depends on individual vulnerability and geographical location.

Treatment: SAD light devices.

Further Research: Current treatment effectiveness and duration required to use device (mobility impairment).

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear or worry and repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the anxiety.

Prevalence: 1% (2.2 million) of population, aged 18-54.

Treatment: Cognitive, family and behavioral therapy, medication - antidepressants

Further Research: Effectiveness of treatments and main sources of uneasiness.

Depression
Feelings of agitation, restlessness, irritability, changes in eating habits, extreme difficulty concentrating, fatigue and lack of energy, thoughts of suicide and feelings of helplessness. Person has more than 5 symptoms and these have lasted more than 2 weeks.

Prevalence: 6.7% (14.8 million) of the population age 18-44. Median onset age 32. More common in women than men.

Treatment: Psychotherapy, antidepressant medication (Prozac), Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)

Further Research: Main causes of depression and current coping strategies if any. Effectiveness of treatments.

General Anxiety Disorder
Excessive, uncontrollable and irrational worry about everyday things.

Prevalence: 3.1% (6.8 million) adults 18 and over. Median onset age 31

Treatment: Therapy (physical, cognitive, behavioral control strategies), education, medications (antidepressants, Buspirone, Benzodiazepines)

Further Research: Main sources of worry. Effectiveness of treatments.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Severe anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma.

Prevalence: 3.5% (7.7 million) adults age 18 and older. Median onset age 23

Treatment: Cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), medication -selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors (Celexa, Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft), group therapy, family therapy

Further Research: Typical event surrounding PTSD and duration of trauma. Effectiveness of treatments.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD
Coexistence of attention problems and hyperactivity typically in children.

Prevalence: 6.3% of those aged 4-17 (2.5 million), 4.1% those aged 18-44. Becomes evident in preschool or elementary years. Median onset age 7. Typically more common in the US.

Treatment: Behavioral management therapy, antidepressants/stimulants (Wellbutrin, Ritalin, Focalin, Metadate, Methylin, Dexedrine, Dextrostat)

Further Research: Current focus techniques and impact on life outside of school. Effectiveness of treatments.

Over Medicated
When patients take unnecessary or excessive amounts of medication resulting in slowed reaction, sleeplessness, agitation, hallucinations, blurry vision, unsteady gait, confusion, constipation and uncontrollable movements.

Prevalence: More than 50% of people taking one drug over chronic health problem, 20% are taking three of more. 75% of older adults take one or more pharmaceutical drug, 25% of older adults take 5 or more on a regular basis (28% women, 22% men). It is estimated that there will be 1.9 million adverse drug events, 25% which are preventable which occur among the 38 million Medicare enrollees. There will be in excess 180,000 life threatening or fatal adverse drug events per year, of which more than 50 may be preventable.

Further Research: The main over prescribed drugs and the disorder seeking to cure. Highest risk groups in terms of demographic for over medicating.