Look after women in the workplace
Women’s health is gaining the spotlight it deserves in recent years due to high-profile awareness campaigns on topics such as menopause and contraception.
But while these steps have been critical in starting to break down taboos, there is still much more to be done, says Rita Trewartha RGN, head of clinical services at Bupa UK Insurance.
An extensive survey by Bupa, in collaboration with research agency Censuswide, provides valuable insights into the day-to-day issues women face – and what steps can be taken to improve behaviours and attitudes.
The study, among 4,100 women and those assigned female at birth, is the latest in Bupa’s Wellbeing Index series.
Experiencing visible women’s symptoms in public
Women’s health is often disproportionately stigmatised. Whether because of a medical condition or natural bodily functions, displaying visible symptoms of periods, pregnancy or menopause in public is still often met with distaste and a lack of understanding.
Bupa’s Wellbeing Index research found that 89% of respondents have experienced visible symptoms of health conditions or bodily functions specific to women in public at some point in the past. These included:
- Sweating (76%);
- Hot flushes (68%);
- Leaking urine (58%);
- Period blood leaking onto clothes (58%);
- A breakout of spots or acne (58%);
- Breast leaking, usually because of pregnancy or post-pregnancy (34%).
Other less obvious symptoms include heightened emotions – crying, angry outbursts – which were experienced by 69% of respondents, and severe pelvic or abdominal pain reported by 67%.
The impact on women’s well-being
The Bupa Wellbeing Index found that women experiencing visible symptoms needed to go to a public toilet (34%), had to abandon what they’re doing to go home early (34%) or rush to buy toiletries (20%) or new clothes (10%).
While these women’s health symptoms are entirely natural, many women have experienced judgement and intrusive comments as a result, causing shame and in some cases triggering poor mental health, such as anxiety and a fear of leaving their home.
Half of women who responded (56%) said that people around them had commented on their visible symptoms. This led to them feeling embarrassed (50%) or self-conscious (46%), while others reported anxiety (38%), a negative impact on their mental health (14%) or feelings of depression (14%).
Two-thirds of women who experienced one of these symptoms (63%) reported at least one long-term consequence as a result.
A third (33%) felt anxious about when it might happen again, while 12% cancelled social plans and 7% avoided the people present at the time.
Discomfort discussing women’s health
Past experiences and a lack of understanding about women’s health means many still feel uncomfortable talking about what is happening to them.
The Bupa Wellbeing Index found that over half of those surveyed (57%) feel that women’s health issues are still seen as taboo. As a result, a third (32%) of women feel generally uncomfortable when talking about their periods or menopause symptoms.
What is encouraging, though, is that many agree that progress has been made in tackling the taboo in recent years. The survey found that 45% of women agree that high-profile campaigns with celebrities and public figures raising awareness mean they feel more comfortable speaking about women’s health.
While most feel comfortable talking to a partner, friend or parent, respondents were more reluctant to talk about their health to a male manager at work – with 42% saying they wouldn’t feel comfortable.
This is compared with 30% who would feel reluctant to talk to a female manager.
Period health in the workplace
In the workplace, periods can have a significant impact on well-being, comfort and productivity.
The effects are almost universal among women who have periods. Bupa’s Wellbeing Index data found that 94% have previously experienced disruptive symptoms.
Many women report regularly experiencing severe symptoms. Just under half (47%) of women suffer from severe period pain or cramps every month or most months, while a similar proportion (48%) regularly get headaches or migraines and nearly a third (31%) feel nauseous.
Despite this, 42% of women who experience symptoms have never called into work sick as a result. Even those who do call in sick due to their period don’t tell their employer the real reason why.
A third of women (34%) are too embarrassed to tell managers they need time off because of their period, saying they’re ill with something else, while 31% believe their manager wouldn’t understand.
Just 17% of women who have periods have taken time off and told their employer the real reason why – and the majority of this group (53%) only did so because their manager is a woman.
The most common reason why women don’t tell their employer when they take time out for period symptoms is because they worry their symptoms aren’t an acceptable reason to miss work (45%).
The impact of severe symptoms on work can be significant and women who experience them may find it difficult to concentrate, focus or be productive at work.
Those who end up working through period symptoms commonly reported feeling tired (41%), suffering with period pain (37%) or having to make frequent trips to the toilet due to heavy bleeding (30%).
As a result, they may have to take regular breaks, or change their working hours.
Rita Trewartha (right) is head of clinical services at Bupa UK Insurance