Many Baby Boomer women still believe talking about vaginal pain is taboo.
A recent survey reveals that roughly half of all postmenopausal women surveyed agreedthat they have learned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopause such as dryness as a normal part of getting older. However, this number increases among postmenopausal women who experience pain during sex. In fact, eight out of ten postmenopausal women who experience pain during sex (80%) agreed*that they havelearned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopau se such as dryness as a normal part of getting older .
However, learning to live with painful sex is not a requirement of aging.
To gain a more thorough understanding of the sexual and vaginal health of postmenopausal Boomer women, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with leading academic and clinical experts, commissioned the market research agency, StrategyOne, to aid in the development, fielding, and reporting of market research surveys called REVEAL ( REvealing Vaginal Effects At mid-Life ).
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REVEAL is comprised of two surveys – one fielded to postmenopausal Boomer women aged 45-65 and one fielded to health care professionals who treat postmenopausal women.
1. A survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,006 women aged 45-65 who were postmenopausal and not currently on hormone therapy. A subset of postmenopausal women (n=255) who experienced pain during sexual intercourse, a condition known as dyspareunia, was also analyzed.
2. An online market research survey of 602 health care professionals, including primary care physicians (n=200), OB/GYNs (n=202), and nurse practitioners (n=200), was conducted. Online interviews averaged 10 minutes in length and were fielded from December 3-15, 2008.
Survey Findings
Nearly half of postmenopausal Boomer women (47%) surveyed agreed* that it is still taboo in society to acknowledge that they are experiencing symptoms of menopause, such as vulvar and vaginal dryness or painful intercourse.
Nearly nine out of ten postmenopausal Boomer women (87%) surveyed agreed* that their sexual health is important to them; however, 41% percent have not spoken to anyone in the past 12 months about their sexual health and intimacy.
Half of postmenopausal Boomer women (51%) surveyed agreed* that they have learned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, as a normal part of getting older.
* Agreed = Strongly Agree + Somewhat Agree
Pain During Sexual Intercourse (Dyspareunia)
One out of four postmenopausal Boomer women surveyed (25%) reported experiencing pain during sexual intercourse associated with menopause (dyspareunia) at least sometimes. Approximately three fourths (72%) of postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia engaged in sex at least once a month, and 34% engaged in sex at least once weekly. The majority of postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia (56%) agreed* that they are less sexually active as a result of dyspareunia.
When describing the pain experienced, more than one third of those surveyed (36%) in the dyspareunia sub-group said that the pain required interruption or discontinuance of sexual activity or prevented any attempt at sexual activity at all.
Treating Pain During Sexual Intercourse (Dyspareunia)
Less than half (44%) of postmenopausal Boomer women surveyed who experienced pain during sexual intercourse have initiated a conversation with their health care professional about dyspareunia.
Among those postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia and have not spoken to their health care professional, the number one reason was embarrassment (39%), followed by the belief that nothing can be done medically (26%). Additionally, one in four postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia (23%) did not believe it is an appropriate conversation to have with a health care professional.
Health Care Professional Perspective
While nearly all health care professionals (95%) surveyed considered treating a woman’s vulvar and vaginal health important to her overall sexual physical health, fewer were likely to discuss dyspareunia or vulvar/vaginal health with their patients. In fact, just 36 percent reported speaking often to their patients about vaginal pain associated with sex.
© 2009, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., Philadelphia, PA 19101 May 2009 246924-01
A recent survey reveals that roughly half of all postmenopausal women surveyed agreedthat they have learned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopause such as dryness as a normal part of getting older. However, this number increases among postmenopausal women who experience pain during sex. In fact, eight out of ten postmenopausal women who experience pain during sex (80%) agreed*that they havelearned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopau se such as dryness as a normal part of getting older .
However, learning to live with painful sex is not a requirement of aging.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
REVEAL is comprised of two surveys – one fielded to postmenopausal Boomer women aged 45-65 and one fielded to health care professionals who treat postmenopausal women.
1. A survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,006 women aged 45-65 who were postmenopausal and not currently on hormone therapy. A subset of postmenopausal women (n=255) who experienced pain during sexual intercourse, a condition known as dyspareunia, was also analyzed.
2. An online market research survey of 602 health care professionals, including primary care physicians (n=200), OB/GYNs (n=202), and nurse practitioners (n=200), was conducted. Online interviews averaged 10 minutes in length and were fielded from December 3-15, 2008.
Survey Findings
Nearly half of postmenopausal Boomer women (47%) surveyed agreed* that it is still taboo in society to acknowledge that they are experiencing symptoms of menopause, such as vulvar and vaginal dryness or painful intercourse.
Nearly nine out of ten postmenopausal Boomer women (87%) surveyed agreed* that their sexual health is important to them; however, 41% percent have not spoken to anyone in the past 12 months about their sexual health and intimacy.
Half of postmenopausal Boomer women (51%) surveyed agreed* that they have learned to live with the vulvar and vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, as a normal part of getting older.
* Agreed = Strongly Agree + Somewhat Agree
Pain During Sexual Intercourse (Dyspareunia)
When describing the pain experienced, more than one third of those surveyed (36%) in the dyspareunia sub-group said that the pain required interruption or discontinuance of sexual activity or prevented any attempt at sexual activity at all.
Treating Pain During Sexual Intercourse (Dyspareunia)
Among those postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia and have not spoken to their health care professional, the number one reason was embarrassment (39%), followed by the belief that nothing can be done medically (26%). Additionally, one in four postmenopausal women surveyed who experienced dyspareunia (23%) did not believe it is an appropriate conversation to have with a health care professional.
Health Care Professional Perspective
While nearly all health care professionals (95%) surveyed considered treating a woman’s vulvar and vaginal health important to her overall sexual physical health, fewer were likely to discuss dyspareunia or vulvar/vaginal health with their patients. In fact, just 36 percent reported speaking often to their patients about vaginal pain associated with sex.
© 2009, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., Philadelphia, PA 19101 May 2009 246924-01