A national study conducted by Australia’s most trusted pain relief brand, Panadol, has revealed that after two years of unprecedented turbulence, Australians have reprioritised the importance of caring for others with nearly 8 in 10 (78 percent) Australians realising the significance of caring for those around them.

The 2022 Panadol Care Study reveals that despite 80 percent of Australians proactively offering care to those in need at some point during the pandemic, Aussies have realised they should be doing more for their community – with more than half the population (57 percent) admitting they should give more than they currently do.

James Meins, senior area marketing manager ANZ, GSK Consumer Healthcare (Haleon Designate), said:
“Australians see care as the basis for what makes up our communities. This is felt by all generations and is a critical part of how we feel supported and safe.”

“Connection with our communities has been under threat these past two years with the pandemic but our spirit as a nation has shone through, with more than 4 in 5 Aussies (86 percent) recognising care is at its strongest when communities are in need. That’s why we want to continue to recognise Australians who have gone above and beyond to help care for others and continue the important conversations with our winners to foster greater care in Australian communities.”

Surveying 3,000 Australians uncovered varying definitions of community among the generations, with three in four (75 percent) stating that they feel more disconnected to their communities than before the pandemic started, ultimately changing their perceptions of what community means to them. For our Baby Boomers, community was largely defined as connection, support and safety from within their local area, whereas our younger generations define their community based on shared attitudes, culture and online connections.

In response to the overwhelming desire of Aussies to care for those in their community, the Panadol team is
bringing back the Panadol Care Collective for a second year, an initiative started in 2021 aimed at rewarding
selfless Aussies who have gone above and beyond to care for others.

Starting today, the Panadol team is asking Australians to nominate those remarkable individuals in their
community who have gone above and beyond to care for others. With nearly three quarters (71 percent) of Australians providing support to their community, Panadol is taking the opportunity to reward those who care the most.

The study revealed that the key motivators for giving care are intrinsically linked to basic human needs for
kindness and connection with others – a common theme amongst each generation – highlighting the importance that community care has.

Australia’s hardest hit generation by the pandemic are emerging as the country’s most care-conscious

Australia’s youth are emerging as the country’s most care-conscious generation after Gen Z experienced increased feelings of isolation (60 percent) and a greater need for community support (49 percent).

Despite the adversity of the pandemic for Gen Z, the impact resulted in the greatest increase in giving behaviour – from any generation – towards charity (22 percent), and the biggest desire to care for the environment, societal causes and others in their community. With giving intentions from Gen Z the highest with 73 percent providing community support during the pandemic.

Parents are facing the highest community support deficit of any demographic

The research also uncovered that Aussie parents are facing a significant community support deficit, whilst their
desire to care for others continues to increase. With 84 percent of parents realising the importance of community only since becoming a parent, they in turn also feel like they are giving more support than those without children.

With a reliance on community support, parents struggled more during the lockdowns when support and
involvement in their communities was restricted, and ultimately struggled with asking for support in other ways due to a fear of judgement and guilt.

The Panadol team is calling for all Australians to nominate themselves or a deserving individual in their community who has an exceptional story of care.

Panadol will recognise these inspiring stories by rewarding deserving Aussies with both individual and community care packages.

This year, Australians over the age of 18 are eligible to nominate a person or child of any age, with entries open
from 15 June 2022 to 29 July 2022. For further information on how to nominate a caring individual and for more information on the 2022 Panadol Care Study, please go to the Panadol Care Collective website.