Monday 30 June 2014

Prolapse: (Not) In the News





The following statistics show how many news articles turn up in a Google News search for each of these major women's health issues:
 
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: 3,700
Osteoporosis: 25,200
Breast cancer: 903,000
 
How many articles are there on prolapse?

525
 
I am of course not suggesting that prolapse is equivalent to cancer. I merely want to point out that, as far as women's health issues are concerned, prolapse receives very little media attention, particularly considering that it effects a greater percentage of women than any of the other conditions listed above.

Perhaps, however, this doesn't surprise you at all. After all, many women have never heard about prolapse before they are diagnosed with it.

You can help us raise awareness about prolapse by:
  • Talking to your family and friends about it, the way you would any other health condition
  • Sharing our prolapse infographic on social media
  • Seeking treatment, and being frank with your GP about your symptoms and the effect they have on your life (we need to raise awareness among health professionals too)
If you would like to do something about the lack of media representation of prolapse, contact newspapers and TV news programs in your area and tell them that there is a story that needs to be run about an issue that affects many of their viewers.
 
It is only through increased awareness that we will get better treatment and less stigma.

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