PR Newswire December 12, 2019
Menopause
and the years preceding it have a significant impact on the health and
well-being of a majority of women, but more than one-third never discuss their
concerns with their health care provider (HCP), and even fewer discuss the
issues that worry or impact them the most, according to a new report from
HealthyWomen and WebMD.
More
than 3,100 U.S. women aged 18 and older from various ethnic and racial
backgrounds and life stages responded to the report, Aging Smart, Aging Well: A
National Dialogue on Women's Health Attitudes and Behaviors which
assessed how women experience their physical, mental and sexual health as they
age and their attitudes about healthy aging.
The
results will be announced at 9 AM Eastern Time today at the National Press Club
in Washington, DC.
Click
here to register and livestream: https://www.workcast.com/register?cpak=7871425062463449
While
the majority embrace the concept of healthy aging and say they pro-actively
discuss their health concerns with their provider, the report found that most
women have never had a dialogue about specific health issues, including
menopausal symptoms, mental health concerns and sexual health. Additionally,
most women have never discussed the health concerns that worry them the most,
notably cancer, stroke, dementia and heart disease.
"Our
report with WebMD shows that the majority of women are experiencing a variety
of symptoms and health concerns as they move through perimenopause, menopause
and post-menopause," said Beth Battaglino, RN-C, CEO of HealthyWomen.
"While our survey did uncover knowledge gaps, it also identified teachable
moments and opportunities for women and their HCPs to engage in meaningful
conversations so that women can experience midlife and beyond with the best
quality of life possible."
Menopausal
Symptoms and Well-Being
The
majority (75%) reported experiencing at least six symptoms of perimenopause and
menopause.
·
The most common symptoms include hot flashes, (69%), fatigue and
sleep problems (64%), mood swings/irritability (62%), brain fog (60%), night
sweats (60%) and weight gain (54%).
·
Nearly half of all women experience irregular periods (45%),
more than a third reported thinning hair, urinary urgency and vaginal dryness,
and one in five experience painful intercourse.
Women
in perimenopause and menopause reported lower rates of physical and emotional
well-being compared to post-menopausal women.
·
Only 25% of perimenopausal and menopausal women rate their
physical health favorably, and 37% rate their mental health either excellent or
very good.
·
Once past menopause, however, women say their
physical and mental health improve, with 40% of
post-menopausal women rating their physical health as very good or excellent,
and 60% rating their mental health similarly.
The
report found differences with respect to race.
·
Black women in menopause rated their physical health more highly
(47% compared to 28% for White women) as well as their mental health (60%
compared to 38%).
·
Nearly 40% of Hispanic women in menopause described their
physical health as fair or poor compared to 25% of Black women. Overall,
Hispanic women are least likely to talk about health risks unless they are
experiencing symptoms.
Health
insurance independently plays a significant role in ratings of health. Lack of
insurance is associated with a greater proportion of fair or poor ratings of
physical and mental health among all women. Indeed, women without health
insurance have greater concern over developing mental illnesses associated with
aging, such as anxiety and depression, as compared to women with coverage.
Despite
the documented value of health screenings, work remains to be done in improving
knowledge and access. With the exception of cervical cancer, women ages 65
years and older typically responded more often than younger women that they
have been screened for various diseases, although considerable numbers of both
groups have not. This includes breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, mental
health and osteoporosis.
Little
Discussion of Top Health Concerns
Women
rank cancer, dementia, heart disease and stroke as among the top health
concerns of aging, but most have never brought them up with a health care
provider.
·
Only 11% discuss concerns about cancer, 18% heart disease, and
9% stroke.
·
More than 60% over the age of 65 have not been screened for
colon cancer despite clinical guidelines advising that screening begin at age
50. Half said they didn't know they had reached the recommended age, and 30%
said their doctor did not bring it up.
Conditions
impacting mental health had the greatest negative impact on quality of life.
·
Nearly three-quarters of women with anxiety said the condition
has a moderate to severe impact on their daily lives, versus only 36% of women
diagnosed with cancer, but only 16% of women with anxiety discuss the issue
with their provider.
·
Anxiety is another significant concern for many women, with more
than 25% reporting anxiety or depression. This number increases for women with
less education and less household income.
·
In addition, 41% of premenopausal women believe that anxiety is
a natural part of aging and there's nothing one can do to stop it.
Significant
Declines in Sexual Health
While
more than half of all premenopausal women report their sexual health as very
good to excellent, that percentage declines to about one-third for women in
perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. Yet, only 10% of women discussed
the issue with their provider.
·
More than half (54%) say their level of sexual activity
decreased beginning in perimenopause, with the majority (86%) noting a lower
sex drive, 57% implicating weight gain and being uncomfortable with their
appearance; 54% vaginal dryness; and 53% fatigue from lack of sleep. Fewer than
1 in 10 have been diagnosed with vaginal atrophy, contrary to clinical data
citing a 50-60% prevalence in post-menopausal women. This may reflect lack of
awareness of treatment strategies, or a reluctance to bring the matter up with
their health care provider.
Women
Self-Manage with Lifestyle Changes
Women
are more likely to try lifestyle changes and supplements to manage their
menopausal symptoms versus prescription treatments such as hormone therapy or
vaginal estrogen. This may be partly due to lack of awareness, or because they
believe their symptoms are not severe enough for treatment. One-third prefer to
treat without medication, while 25% say they are fearful of side effects or
increased risk of cancer, heart attack or stroke.
"Despite
a general shift in our culture promoting more discussion of health concerns and
healthy living, our report shows that there is still a lack of openness when it
comes to the health issues and changes of women as they age," said John
Whyte, MD, Chief Medical Officer of WebMD. "Easy access to relevant and
reliable health information can foster greater dialogue around the issues that
women are concerned about though every life stage, and can support them in
their goals for healthy aging."
For
more information about Aging Smart, Aging Well and to view the
full survey report, please visit
About
HealthyWomen
HealthyWomen
is the nation's leading independent, nonprofit health information source for
women. Its mission is to educate women to make informed health choices for
themselves and for their families, providing objective, research-based health
information to its audience. For 30+ years, millions of women have turned to
HealthyWomen for answers to their most personal health care questions. To learn
more, please visit www.HealthyWomen.org.
Nothing
is more important to our health than access to competent and affordable care
and the safety of our medications and health care delivery practices.
HealthyWomen works to educate women about health policy issues in these and
other areas. It recognizes the importance of clinical trials in improving
women's health and supports women's health research, particularly where sex may
make a difference in research results. HealthyWomen advocates on behalf of
women to ensure that women's health is a primary focus of policy makers and
advocacy groups. Its investment in developing science-based information and its
effort to incorporate perspectives reflected by advances in research and
technology will further its mission to provide women with relevant and accurate
health resources. To learn more, please visit www.HealthyWomen.org.
Follow HealthyWomen on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About
WebMD
WebMD
Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of
health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care
professionals, employers, and health plans through public and private online
portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health
Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, prIME
Oncology, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health,
MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other
owned WebMD sites.
WebMD®,
Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org®, and
RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.
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SOURCE
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