with Healthcare Providers
New survey reveals impact of insomnia on menopausal women and lack of communication with physicians
MARLBOROUGH, Mass., October 18, 2010 Results released today from a survey of more than 900 women, who experienced sleep problems during menopause, shed light on the impact insomnia can have during this time in a womans life. The survey also revealed that for many women, insomnia during menopause is not proactively addressed by their healthcare provider (HCP) and that often times, women dont communicate their symptoms to their Healthcare provider. The study, sponsored by Red Hot Mamas North America and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., showed that the sleep problems women experience during menopause affect multiple areas of their lives, including work, relationships, intimacy and even parenting. More information on the survey findings and resources for menopausal women experiencing insomnia can be found at TakeBackYourSleep.com.
It is extremely common for women to experience insomnia during menopause, said Jo Anne Turner, Adult Nurse Practitioner. Unfortunately, a gap in communication often persists among women and their primary healthcare providers, potentially causing the condition to go undiagnosed and untreated. The results of this survey confirm that we, as healthcare providers, should not assume patients are telling us everything about their sleep.
In fact, 62 percent of the women surveyed said they have not talked to their Healthcare providers about the symptoms of insomnia theyve experienced during menopause. Of the women who did talk to their Healthcare provider (38 percent), 92 percent indicated that they had to initiate the conversations themselves.
In addition to revealing a lack of communication between women and their Healthcare providers, the survey also showed that the effects of their sleeplessness impact many aspects of the womens lives. In fact, 76 percent of the women surveyed said that their insomnia during menopause moderately-to-significantly impacted their overall quality of life. Women noted that they experience daytime drowsiness or fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating on certain tasks, including their jobs. Notably, the women also indicated that their personal and romantic relationships suffered as a result of their insomnia during menopause, with nearly 34 percent noting that their intimacy with their husband or partner has been affected.
One irritating symptom of menopause, that is commonly overlooked, is insomnia, said Karen Giblin, President of Red Hot Mamas North America. Women have trouble falling asleep, wake up in the middle of the night, and the next day find themselves exhausted. The effects of being sleep deprived take their toll on multiple aspects of womens lives, including marriages, friendships and productivity at work. The survey findings are indicative that women should not travel the road alone and go passively down a lonesome highway. They need to speak to their healthcare provider about the insomnia symptoms they are experiencing.
**For more information on the link between menopause and insomnia, and to view additional statistics from the survey, visit TakeBackYourSleep.com.
The survey was conducted by Manhattan Research on behalf of Red Hot Mamas North America and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
About the Survey
The survey was conducted by Manhattan Research on behalf of Red Hot Mamas North America and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. A total of 15,000 email invitations were sent out to women from an opt-in online panel inviting them to participate in a survey. More than 2,000 women responded and 927 respondents completed the survey after meeting the following criteria: age 40-65, in perimenopause or postmenopause, and have experienced trouble sleeping/insomnia related to menopause. The margin of error for the study is +/-3.1% at 95 percent confidence.
About Red Hot Mamas North America
Karen Giblin Red Hot Mamas North America is the nations largest menopause management education program. Its mission is to broaden the base of womens knowledge about menopause and empower them to become educated healthcare consumers and active participants in the management of their menopause. Red Hot Mamas North Americas monthly educational program series is licensed to hospitals and large physician practices across the United States. The community-based programs are offered free to women and their families, and provide valuable menopause-related healthcare information and psychosocial support to optimize their health as they approach menopause and beyond.
**For more information, visit www.redhotmamas.org/
About Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Sunovion is a leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutic products that advance the science of medicine in the central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory disease areas and improve the lives of patients and their families. Sunovion’s drug development program, together with its corporate development and licensing efforts, has yielded a formidable portfolio of pharmaceutical products and candidates with a focus on respiratory and central nervous system disorders.
Sunovion, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., is headquartered in Marlborough, Mass. More information about Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. is available at www.sunovion.com.
About Manhattan Research
Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a global pharmaceutical and healthcare market research and strategic advisory firm and conducts annual research studies covering eHealth trends among physicians and consumers, including Taking the Pulse U.S., Taking the Pulse Nurses, Taking the Pulse Europe, Taking the Pulse Asia, Cybercitizen Health U.S., Cybercitizen Health Europe, ePharma Consumer, and ePharma Physician. Broad consumer and physician research is complemented by targeted analysis for over 100 consumer therapeutic segments and physician specialist segments.
**For more information, please contact sales@manhattanresearch.com or visit www.manhattanresearch.com.
