SELECT questions.id AS question_id, questions.title AS question_title, options.description AS option_desc, options.id AS option_id, count( answers.id ) AS answers_count FROM questions, options, answers WHERE options.question = questions.id AND ( options.type = 'radio' ) AND answers.option_id = options.id AND questions.inquiry =39 AND answers.response NOT IN ( SELECT answers.response FROM answers WHERE answers.inquiry =39 AND answers.option_id IN ( 485 ) ) GROUP BY options.id ORDER BY question_id, answers_count DESC id select_type table type possible_keys key key_len ref rows Extra 1 PRIMARY answers ALL NULL NULL NULL NULL 3814 Using where; Using temporary; Using filesort 1 PRIMARY options eq_ref PRIMARY,question PRIMARY 4 samla.answers.option_id 1 Using where 1 PRIMARY questions eq_ref PRIMARY,inquiry PRIMARY 4 samla.options.question 1 Using where 2 DEPENDENT SUBQUERY answers index_subquery response response 4 func 11 Using index; Using where