The study
To gain a more thorough understanding of the sexual issues faced by postmenopausal Boomer women, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (a VibrantNation.com sponsor) collaborated with three experts in women’s sexuality and a leading market research agency on a project that involved over 1,000 in-depth interviews with women 45-65 and over 600 healthcare providers. The resulting REVEAL study (“REVEAL” stands for Revealing Vaginal Effects At mid-Life) was recently released, and while listening to its experts made some important findings.
The findings
Boomer women’s sexual issues are real but often ignored. Vaginal atrophy (the regrettable term for what women experience as dryness and/or pain during intercourse) is a common affliction experienced by roughly half of post-menopausal women but one that rarely gets discussed, between a woman and either her doctor, her spouse/partner or her friends. One reason: embarrassment. This embarrassment promotes ignorance. Substantially more women know about the post-menopausal symptoms that are frequently discussed (symptoms like hot flashes or mood swings) than they do about the effects of vaginal dryness or how to reverse it. I will address how this embarrassment relates to other sensitive aspects of a woman’s mid-life in my next blog entry.
Men have it easier. Of the REVEAL survey respondents, almost three out of four (or 73%) said that society accepts conversations about men’s sexual problems more readily than it does about women. Viagra and Cialis ads on mainstream television remind women that pharmaceutical companies and marketers will go to any length to discuss and address the sexual problems of older men, while pretending that women either face no such issues, or don’t have sex at all.
Too many women have become unnecessarily resigned to poor sexual health. Over one-half of the women surveyed who experience vaginal dryness said that they have “learned to live with” the condition.
More communication is the answer. The REVEAL survey disclosed that almost one-half of women who suffer pain during intercourse had brought the issue up with their doctors. That’s the good news. The bad news: another half of them felt it was embarrassing or inappropriate to do so, or held back because they believed there is no medical solution that would help.
Only 10% reported that their doctor had brought up the issue. Doctors themselves disclosed a different perspective; almost all of them consider treating a woman’s vulvar and vaginal health as important (if only 36% reported actually discussing it with their patients). This is the reason why the REVEAL survey’s Dr. Susan Kellogg-Spadt says: “The #1 advice I give to women is the same advice I give to healthcare providers: You be the first one to bring it up.”
Conclusion
After spending some time with this fascinating study and listening to its experts on a conference call, I was struck how the REVEAL survey’s findings reinforce what we see going on at VibrantNation.com and what we know happens to Boomer women in the marketplace at large. I’ll write about those in my next blog entry.
Thanks for taking on this important topic. As we age, women fear becoming invisible, anyway. That’s not happening so much in our workplaces because we’ve worked hard and long to gain as much power (and visibility) as we have. But this issue of women’s sexual dysfunction is an area where we are, indeed, absolutely invisible!
Along these lines, you make an excellent point about the Viagara ads at least putting the issue of men’s sexual dysfunction on the table for discussion. I know I’ve made more than a few jokes at the erectile issue ads’ expense, myself—but suddenly I realize that not even being in the position of making fun of jokes about women’s sexual dysfunctions is no laughing matter!
I’m wondering if women who see female gynecologists have any more luck with this than those who see male physicians (esp. young ones.) Anyway, looking forward to our members’ thoughts.
I discovered the KY gels and “massage” oils about four years ago and they make all the difference. Am happy to see them advertised on TV, even with coupons for the products in Sunday newspaper ad sections. Am sad that the individuals in the advertising photos look to be playful and under 40. I’ve never had this discussion with a OB-GYN or internist, just found these products work. Happily, the more I have pleasurable sex, the more my vagina helps lubricate itself. The gels and oils do enhance the experiences, however. Yeah, wish these products were specifically advertised to the Vibrant Nation crowd and then maybe we could also make jokes. So why don’t Viagra and Cialis and Levitra include a recommendation for KY gels and oils in their ads? Not just men need a little help sometimes!
CBW and Carol,
While having a glass of wine and breaking out the KY may be a good way to treat the symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily address the causes of vaginal dryness that are unnecessarily ruining the sex lives of too many women over 40. It’s all about our hormones, ladies! The problem is not in our heads. If you are menopausal or peri-menopausal and have not checked with your doctor to see if your hormones are out of whack, you should.
There likely isn’t a one-size-fits-all cure, but you may want to see if what these women are describing mirrors your situation and then do more research or talk to your doctor about it. If men can get the support they need to continue having satisfying sex lives well into old age, why can’t we?