A new 'health ecosystem' for women

According to a review of NIH priority projects, only 11% were focused on female-specific conditions between 2018 and 2020. In addition, polyendrocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly known as PCOS) was not included in NIH's tracking system until 2022, even though the condition is estimated to affected one out of every 10 women of reproductive age worldwide.

Because of a continued lack of investment and focus on women's health in research and other areas, more women are creating their own communities and support systems to help them navigate their healthcare issues.

In a new report, Weber Shandwick partnered with Reddit to better understand the "new health ecosystem" and women's health content discovery journey. Researchers surveyed 886 adult women and their partners and analyzed their information-seeking behavior when it came to their health.

Many women reported turning to Reddit to discuss sensitive health topics, with 81% of respondents saying that they were more comfortable discussing sensitive health topics on Reddit than with their friends and family.

When asked about what health information they wanted more or better access to, 61% said what symptoms of a condition would actually feel like, 58% said how a condition would affect their emotions, and 55% said what was normal vs. concerning for a condition. Some common topics Reddit users engaged with were menopause (23%), menstruation (22%), perimenopause (22%), postpartum issues (19%), and fertility (14%).

Many Reddit communities focused on women's health have also experienced significant year-over-year growth. For example, the subreddit r/askwomenover60 grew by 1,924% year-over-year, and the subreddit r/infertilitysucks grew by 1,197%. 

Commentary

According to Kathleen Hunter, EVP of client experience at Weber Shandwick, "[t]here's a sense of community that exists from people trying to help each other" on Reddit.

"Reddit is a place that does transcend," Hunter said, pointing out the "intergenerational knowledge sharing" that is a hallmark of the platform.

Fahti Khosrowshahi, founder and CEO of Ceek Women's Health, noted that Reddit's anonymized structure may help foster "open, transparent conversation" in a safe environment, which encourages users to share knowledge and form communities.

"Hearing that unfiltered dialog has been really valuable," Khosrowshahi said, referring to Reddit discussions about unmet needs for pelvic exams. "This is a venue where women feel safe to share their experiences, and I think specifically on sensitive topics like pelvic health and sexual trauma."

Although Reddit users are anonymous, unbiased validation and advice from other women create a "very credible online community," Khosrowshahi said. She noted that women will often turn to online spaces to share anxieties or concerns about health issues before they discuss them with a clinician.

"It's like peeling the layers of an onion," Khosrowshahi added. For example, when it comes to understanding younger women's anxieties around pelvic exams, Reddit "allows us to slowly peel the layers of the onion to understand what is the source of the anxiety."

Overall, although Reddit can't replace physicians, it can help with "bridging the gap throughout the journey," Hunter said.