Women usually tightlipped about bladder problems

Sep 24 2009

Women may be known as the more talkative sex, but when it comes to a certain sensitive health topic, their lips are sealed, according to a new "Bladder Talk" survey of 780 women aged 35 and older in North America (U.S. and Canada) sponsored by TENA(R), the worldwide leader in the management of bladder protection, and conducted by Harris Interactive.

One in four women suffers from bladder weakness, but according to the survey, nearly 40 percent of women with symptoms have never discussed their condition with anyone. Of the women who acknowledge they have bladder weakness, almost half (48 percent) are embarrassed to discuss it and more than half (52 percent) either hide symptoms or are afraid of what others would think. The condition carries such a stigma that women would rather discuss other sensitive topics than their bladder weakness: infertility/fertility (32 percent would discuss before bladder weakness), their relationship with their spouse (30 percent), mental health (23 percent) and menopause (15 percent).

"Women often try to cope with private or embarrassing issues such as bladder weakness on their own, but they should know that they are not alone. The reality is that while bladder weakness affects a significant number of women, it doesn't have to slow them down. There are pelvic floor exercises and protective products out there to help women combat this issue. It's important for women to discuss the condition with their doctor so they can learn about their options," says Dr. Lauri Romanzi, a board certified gynecologist with more than 20 years of experience in women's health.

Despite the fact that they are not talking about bladder weakness, the condition affects women's lives in significant ways; half of the women (51 percent) surveyed feel that bladder weakness has a strong impact on their daily life. More than a third (37 percent) say that they would live differently without bladder weakness, while one fifth (20 percent) say they think constantly about their problem and it almost controls their lives. More than a quarter (28 percent) have planned trips around bathroom locations and almost one fifth (18 percent) have changed the way they dress.

Even with the impact it has on their lives, 43 percent of the respondents have never done anything about their symptoms and only 17 percent have researched the condition for more information.

"Just because women don't like to talk about bladder control issues doesn't mean the condition is going away," said Ankie Cedergren-Borg, Director of Brand Communications for SCA Personal Care North America, the makers of TENA. "We believe that a significant part of our responsibility to our consumers is to give them the resources to understand their condition and solutions to improve the quality of their everyday life, as well as to spark discussions around the condition so it is brought out in the open."

Source: http://www.tena.us