"I can get advice online"
Younger women are three times more likely to be embarrassed when talking to their GP compared to over 55s, a new survey has revealed.
Balance Activ™ carried out the study and found that 83% of women aged 18-24 would prefer to see a female GP, admitting to not feeling comfortable when talking to their doctor about intimate health issues.
Younger women are also more hesitant to speaking to family and friends about intimate health issues with 67% revealing that it is ‘too embarrassing.’ Whereas only 27% of over 55s wouldn’t seek advice from friends or family due to embarrassment.
However, this is a cause for concern as many women take to the internet for their intimate health needs, with 56% searching for their condition online within 12 hours, and an alarming 92% diagnosing themselves.
Despite their embarrassment about discussing the matter with their doctor or someone close to them, only 24% of 18-24s feel nervous about discussing it on an online forum, suggesting the anonymity makes them more comfortable.
A strong appetite for further online information among this age group was also revealed, with 80% feeling they would benefit from a website providing advice from experts.
Balance Activ™ brand ambassador, Dr Rosemary Leonard, commented: “Intimate health should not be an embarrassing issue, so I would urge women of all ages to talk openly about this subject with friends, family or healthcare professionals to ensure they are getting the right advice and treatment.
“Young women’s hesitation to talk about these issues could be why more than half of women don’t know about some very common conditions such as Bacterial Vaginosis (BV). BV is the most common vaginal condition, affecting one in three women, which can be caused by everyday things such as excessive washing, periods or even semen. It can have serious implications including putting you more at risk of catching an STI after unprotected sex, or increasing the risk of miscarriage or pre-term birth, so it’s essential to diagnose and treat it correctly.
“There is a raft of great information out there, including the Balance Activ™ website www.balanceactiv.com and www.bvexplained.co.uk, which is a good source of information for young women who want to understand more about BV, potential symptoms and how to treat it. It would be great to see younger women sharing this info with their friends and family and openly discussing issues such as BV.”
The online research was conducted by YouGov. For more information about BV or Balance Activ™ please visit www.bvexplained.co.uk or www.balanceactiv.com