The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, in partnership with leading sexual wellbeing company the Lovehoney Group and its Womanizer brand, has released early data from new nationally representative surveys exploring menopause knowledge, symptom management, medical care engagement, and health disparities among Americans. Phase 1 surveyed of 1,500 American adults aged 18-88, to assess overall public knowledge and understanding of menopause. Phase 2 surveyed 1,500 women aged 40-65, to better understand women's experiences with menopause.
The findings shed light on how women navigate menopause and reveal significant gaps in medical guidance and knowledge, particularly regarding the use of self-pleasure as a self-management tool. Phase 1 While most respondents (75.1%) correctly defined menopause as the permanent end of the menstrual cycle, very few could identify its symptoms, especially concentration or memory difficulties (13% answered correctly), bladder issues or incontinence (14.
1% answered correctly), and sleep changes (27.9% answered correctly). Even for the most recognized symptom, hot flashes, fewer than two thirds (59.
4%) of respondents identified this as a symptom. Symptom Management Results revealed that 36.2% of menopausal women reported experiencing improved symptoms through masturbation.
However, only 1 in 10 women currently use self-pleasure as a primary symptom management tool. Importantly, nearly half (46%) of women surveyed indicated they would be open to try.