Slide 1: The International Vagina Dialogues Survey June, 2004 www.hieurope.com © HI Europe, 2004. All rights reserved.
Slide 2: Background and objectives Organon would like to improve their understanding of women’s attitudes towards their vaginas Thus HI Europe was commissioned by Organon to conduct consumer research focused on women’s... – Attitudes towards and perceptions of their vaginas  With a focus on comfort levels with public and private discourse – Vagina behavioural patterns  Including knowledge levels and day-to-day behaviours Page 2 HI Europe
Slide 3: Methodology  Online survey conducted among a random sample of respondents who met the following criteria: – Female – Aged 18 - 44  Interviews conducted in 13 countries. Number of interviews in each country shown:  UK  France  Germany  Spain  Italy  Switzerland  Netherlands  Portugal  Austria  Belgium  Finland  Brazil  Canada  TOTAL 942 779 774 826 761 197 748 691 499 793 793 888 750 9441  This document is a summary report of the combined country data. Interviews lasted 25 minutes on average and were conducted in April/May, 2004. Data was weighted to adjust for attitudinal differences that may arise from using an online panel sample.   Page 3 HI Europe
Slide 4: Society and the Vagina www.hieurope.com © HI Europe, 2004. All rights reserved.
Slide 5: Society’s current attitude to vagina discussions Most women think while society is ‘more comfortable’ about vagina discussions, it is still not a common subject. Only 10% feel there is no shame attached to discussing the vagina today = 4% Dark ages: taboo subject 77% More comfortable but still not a common subject 10% Gender genitalia equality: As comfortable as men talking about their penis 10% Enlightenment: No shame Country Differences Women in Spain are most likely to feel that there is no shame attached to discussing the vagina today, whilst women in the UK think society is least advanced (Q405) Please indicate where you believe society is today when it comes to discussing the vagina? Base: Total Respondents Page 5 HI Europe
Slide 6: Society’s ideal attitude to vagina discussions 78% of women think society should be at gender equality or enlightened in its attitudes towards the vagina. 67% of women would likely society’s attitudes to vaginal discussions to be more open = 1% Should remain taboo 21% More comfortable but still not a common subject 27% Gender genitalia equality: As comfortable as men talking about their penis 51% Enlightenment: No shame Country Differences Women in Spain, Portugal and Brazil are most likely to feel that they would like society to feel no shame attached to discussing the vagina (Q406) Where do you think society should be when it comes to discussing the vagina? Base: Total Respondents Page 6 HI Europe
Slide 7: Agreement with “Society has too many misconceptions about the vagina” 65% of women think that society has too many misconceptions about the vagina Disagree 9% Country Differences Neither/nor 26% Women in Brazil and Portugal are most likely to feel that society has too many misconceptions about the vagina. Agree 65% Women in Germany and the Netherlands are least likely to think this (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “Society has too many misconceptions about the vagina” Base: Total Respondents. Page 7 HI Europe
Slide 8: Agreement with “As a child I was told touching my vagina was dirty/nasty/unclean” 28% of women were told as a child that touching the vagina was dirty / nasty / unclean Agree 28% Country Differences Women in Brazil and Spain were most likely to be told as a child that touching the vagina was dirty/nasty/ unclean. Women in Austria, Netherlands and Germany were least likely to be told this Disagree 53% Neither/nor 19% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “As a child I was told touching my vagina was dirty/nasty/unclean” Base: Total Respondents. Page 8 HI Europe
Slide 9: Comfort level when talking to health care professional about vagina related issues Only 48% of women are very or somewhat comfortable talking to their health care professional about issues relating to the vagina Very/somewhat uncomfortable 25% Country Differences Levels of discomfort are particularly high for women in the Netherlands, UK and Canada (where they are most likely to see a GP). Women in Portugal and Austria are most comfortable Neither/nor 27% Very/somewhat comfortable 48% (Q620) In general, how comfortable are you talking to your health care professional about issues relating to your vagina? Base: All respondents seeing an HCP. Page 9 HI Europe
Slide 10: Personal comfort with the Vagina www.hieurope.com © HI Europe, 2004. All rights reserved.
Slide 11: People with whom women feel comfortable discussing their vagina Most women feel most comfortable talking to their sexual partner (88%) and female friends (77%) about their vagina Sexual partner Female friends Sister/Sisters Mother Male friends Brother/brothers Father 7% 14% 29% 57% 56% 77% 88% Country Differences Women in Spain are most open about who they speak to; whilst women in Belgium, France and Finland tend to be more reserved (Q450) How comfortable would you be talking about the vagina with the following people? Base: Total respondents Page 11 HI Europe
Slide 12: Comfort with looking at the vagina 16% of women are uncomfortable looking at their vagina Uncomfortable 16% Country Differences Women in Portugal are least comfortable looking at their vaginas; whilst women in Germany and Austria are most comfortable Comfortable 65% Neither/nor 19% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “I am uncomfortable looking at my vagina” Base: Total Respondents. Page 12 HI Europe
Slide 13: Comfort with inserting something (e.g. tampon, fingers) into the vagina 62% of women are comfortable with inserting “something” – finger or tampon – into their vagina Uncomfortable 26% The percentage of European women who feel uncomfortable decreases to 20% (when Brazil and Canada excluded) Comfortable 62% Neither/nor 12% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “I am comfortable with inserting something (e.g. tampon, fingers) into my vagina” Base: Total Respondents. Page 13 HI Europe
Slide 14: Ease of use of medical products inserted into the vagina Only 24% of women believe that medical products that must be inserted into the vagina are not easy to use Not easy to use 24% Easy to use 52% The percentage of European women who express disagreement with this statement decreases to 16% (when Brazil and Canada excluded) Neither/nor 24% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “Medical products that must be inserted into the vagina are easy to use” Base: Total Respondents. Page 14 HI Europe
Slide 15: Women’s perceptions of their vagina Women perceive their vaginas very differently than they believe their partner’s perceive them – women are most likely to describe their vaginas as ‘Intimate’, whilst ‘Sexy’ is described most frequently for partners Women’s Perception of Their Vaginas 5% 1% 3% 4% 5% 7% 51% 10% Intimate Sexy Mysterious Empowering Amazing Beautiful Neutral Troublesome Unattractive Embarrassing Ugly Other Partner’s Perception of Their Vaginas 5% 2% 17% 14% 7% 6% 8% 41% 11% NB When considering top 3 mentions, 72% of women view their own vagina positively (Q419) Number one ranked word used to describe your vagina Base: Total Respondents. NB When considering top 3 mentions, 93% of women believe their partners perceive their vagina positively Page 15 HI Europe
Slide 16: Knowledge about the Vagina www.hieurope.com © HI Europe, 2004. All rights reserved.
Slide 17: Agreement with “Society’s taboos surrounding the vagina contribute to women’s ignorance” 78% of women believe that society’s taboos contribute to public ignorance Disagree 10% Neither/nor 12% Country Differences Women in Portugal and Brazil are most likely to believe that society’s taboos contribute to public ignorance Agree 78% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “Society’s taboos surrounding the vagina contribute to women’s ignorance” Base: Total Respondents. Page 17 HI Europe
Slide 18: Agreement with “The vagina is the body part that women know least about” 47% of women say the vagina is the body part that women know least about Disagree 32% Agree 47% Country Differences Women in Brazil, France and Portugal are most likely to agree with this statement and women in Austria, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands are most likely to disagree with this statement Neither/nor 21% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “The vagina is the body part that women know least about” Base: Total Respondents. Page 18 HI Europe
Slide 19: Knowledge of the vagina The majority of women consider themselves somewhat knowledgeable, but only 26% consider themselves very knowledgeable Not very/Not at all 17% Very 26% Country Differences Women in Finland, Spain and Brazil perceive themselves as most knowledgeable (but women in Austria and Germany actually appear to be the most knowledgeable) Somewhat 57% (Q500) How knowledgeable do you consider yourself to be about your vagina? Base: Total respondents Page 19 HI Europe
Slide 20: Importance that women are sufficiently educated about the vagina 95% of women believe that it is important that women are sufficiently educated about the vagina Neither/nor 3% Disagree 2% Country Differences Virtually all women in all countries agree that women should be well-informed about their vaginas. Finnish women, however, are slightly less in agreement than other countries Agree 95% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “It is important that women are well-informed about their vaginas” Base: Total Respondents. Page 20 HI Europe
Slide 21: Agreement with “Understanding one’s vagina will help improve sexual satisfaction” 87% of women believe that understanding one’s vagina will help improve sexual satisfaction Neither/nor 9% Disagree 4% Country Differences Women in Portugal and Brazil are most in agreement with this statement; whilst women in the UK and Netherlands are least in agreement Agree 87% (Q401) Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with this statement “Understanding one’s vagina will help improve sexual satisfaction” Base: Total Respondents. Page 21 HI Europe
Slide 22: Articles about the vagina Only 39% of women have read an informative article about the vagina. However, 83% would like to have read an informative article written by a female doctor Read an informative article Would like to read an informative article No 17% Yes 39% No 61% Yes 83% Country Differences Women in Portugal, Brazil and Spain are most likely to want to read an informative article (Q515) Can you recall ever having read a really informative article about the vagina? Base: All respondents. (Q525) Would you be interested in reading a really informative article about the vagina? Base: All respondents. Page 22 HI Europe
Slide 23: Perceptions of size of the vagina 47% of women have concerns about the size of their vagina Not sure 40% Just the right size 53% Country Differences Confidence is greatest amongst Finnish and Brazilian women and least amongst French and Belgian women Women who believe they are very knowledgeble were less likely to have concerns about vaginal size Not Confident Of Vaginal Size 47% Too big 6% Too small 1% (Q435) Do you consider your vagina to be…? Base: Total Respondents. Page 23 HI Europe
Slide 24: Perceptions of the appearance of the vagina 61% of women have concerns about the appearance of their external genitalia Don’t know 14% Not confident 61% Country Differences Confidence is greatest amongst Austrian, German, Italian and Dutch women and least amongst French, Belgian and Brazilian women Major concerns 13% No concerns 39% Women who believe they are very knowledgeble were less likely to have concerns Some concerns 34% (Q440) Do you have any concerns about the appearance of your vagina? Base: Total Respondents. Page 24 HI Europe
Slide 25: Vaginal education  In the public arena – including the medical setting, there is still significant discomfort – even shame – attached to the vagina. However, most women want a more open and enlightened public dialogue. Most women have few personal inhibitions about the vagina: they are comfortable discussing it with their sexual partner / girlfriends, and looking at it and touching it. Most think that medical products that must be inserted into the vagina are easy to use. Women think they are not very knowledgeable about the vagina, something they attribute to society’s taboos. However, nearly all recognize the importance of education and most want information to be available to them. Greater knowledge might reduce anxieties about the vagina. Page 25   HI Europe