Why So Shy? What Females of the Facebook Generation Are Not Sharing in the OB/GYN Office that Could Affect Their Health
The Communications Gap Between the "TMI" Generation
and Their Most Important Health Providers
WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ, Sept. 29, 2010 – Millennials and Gen
Xers can be eloquent in 140 characters or less, but in the
doctor’s office women of this generation edit themselves
about sexual health information that can guide recommendations for
everything from cervical cancer screening to contraception. In a
survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, less than one in
four women between ages 18 and 34 with a regular health care
provider has initiated a conversation about her sexual
health,¹ and of those who had a conversation, four in ten
weren't too comfortable about it.²
This counterintuitive behavior, from the generation that has led society into a new world of personal disclosure and information sharing and will continue to do so using social networks as they age³, spurred Merck to develop a way to help. It's called Healthy Communication, and it is a resource-rich online kiosk, which can be found on iVillage.com/health, that provides women with practical information about initiating productive discussions about sexual health during their annual health examinations.
Roshini Raj, MD, the noted women’s health expert and co-author of the new book What the Yuck?: The Freaky & Fabulous Truth About Your Body, says this communications gap may be affecting women’s health. Women who withhold information due to shyness or discomfort may end up mismatched by their doctors with birth control or other reproductive health information that doesn’t suit their lifestyles.
“An average gynecological annual exam lasts just 15 minutes,4 so women need to overcome their reticence and maximize that time,” said Dr. Raj. “Sharing sexual lifestyle information with their physicians is not comfortable for many women and the resources at www.iVillage.com/health can help make it easier to have those conversations.”
Resources on the site include Digital Native-appropriate tools like regular articles by Dr. Raj and interactive tools to improve the quality of health conversations in the doctor’s office.
Survey findings:
Only 13 percent of women who have used birth control or are
considering birth control share details of their sexual health with
their health care provider;5
Less-than one-third of women are extremely satisfied with the
discussions they have with health care providers during their
visits, and with their overall relationship with their health care
provider;6
Among women who had used or considered using birth control, almost
one out of four report negative feelings associated with discussing
sexual health with their health care provider including
embarrassment, unease and bashfulness.7
“We know that women often turn to the Web when they have health questions that concern themselves and their families,” said Jennifer Barrett, iVillage Health Editor. “iVillage Health was developed as a resource to empower women to become more informed and prepared patients.”
About the survey
The 4 survey identified the type of relationship women 18 to 34
years of age have with their health care provider and the quality
of their experiences with birth control. A total of 370 women
between the ages of 18 and 34 participated in the online survey,
which aimed to identify the type of relationship women have with
their health care provider. The survey was commissioned in 2009 by
Opinion Research Corporation, on behalf of Schering Corp., a
subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. Respondents were from online
panel sources in the United States.
About Merck
Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the
world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and
Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic
therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work
with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver
innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to
increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies,
programs and partnerships. For more information, visit
www.merck.com.
About iVillage
iVillage is the largest content-driven community for women online
reaching 30 + million unique visitors per month (comScore July
2010). With over four million plus conversations annually and
thousands of specific brands talked about weekly, iVillage is at
the center of her digital routine. Everyday women come to iVillage
to connect, share advice, find life tools and engage in
conversations that matter most to them in areas of Pregnancy &
Parenting, Health, Food, Entertainment and Beauty & Style.
Additional businesses and brand extensions within iVillage include
iVillage UK, NBC Digital Health Network, Astrology.com and
GardenWeb. iVillage Inc., is based in New York City, and is part of
the NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks
Group.
¹ Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 22
² Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 31
³ Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
and Elon University's Imagining the Internet Center full
report
4 Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 9
5 Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 41
6 Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 24
7 Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., HCP
Communication Gap Survey, November 2009, Slide 34
Posted: September 2010
