618 - What is the Most Taboo Health Subject, and Why do We Need to Talk About it?

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

Welcome to Modern Mindset, the show that picks the brains of the world's leading minds to help you unlock yours. Decoding the beliefs and strategies of global experts to give you an updated mindset to make the most of modern life.

Rory McGowan (0:21)

This is Modern Mindset, the show that picks the brains of the world's leading minds to help you unlock yours. My name is Rory McGowan, and what is the topic of conversation you'd be least likely to chat about with someone else? Perhaps it's your weight or your finances, maybe even your mental health.

Well, according to the incontinence product manufacturer OnTex, it's none of these things. It is in fact your bladder and bowel health.

When said out loud, it's no surprise. A lot of people don't like hearing about incontinence, leakages, or other problems that comprise this area of health care. But ignorance is never an excuse not to talk about something, and it's better to understand it than to remain in the dark, especially when we're talking about your own health. To talk more about this topic with me today, I'm joined by Louise Heelan, a registered general nurse, who is a bladder and bowel health expert. Louise, it's lovely to have you on.

Louise Heelan (1:17)

Thanks, Rory. It's lovely to be here.

Rory McGowan (1:21)

No problem, Louise. Thank you. And so, why do you think then, talk me through this research, why do you think bladder and bowel health is kind of the ultimate taboo in and around health care?

Louise Heelan (1:35)

Well, we know that bladder and bowel health is still one of the greatest health taboos. In fact, in a recent survey of over 2,000 adults, we found that more people were comfortable talking about their weight, mental health, or even their finances, then discussing their bladder and bowel health. The reality is too many people suffer in silence. Two-thirds said that they would try to manage symptoms themselves and simply hope that the problem went away. And a third admitted that they would avoid seeking help because they felt embarrassed.

A lot of this comes down to stigma that's attached to bodily functions from a young age. People often associate them with shame, loss of control, and that's why at ONTEX we're passionate about breaking down the barriers through education, raising awareness of continence health, and providing direct support from a team of our nurse specialists.

Rory McGowan (2:40)

Louise, talk me through.

Let's get a bit of context for people who are not immersed in this world.

What are these kind of common bladder and bowel health issues that people come across in their day-to-day that they'd rather just not talk about?

Louise Heelan (2:57)

So bladder and bowel incontinence is when people might experience an involuntary loss of urine or feces or both.

And as you can imagine, that can be quite daunting and embarrassing for people to want to look at dealing with or seeking help and support with. We know that embarrassment is one of the biggest reasons why people don't seek help for this. And many people, the other reasons are that people feel isolated or anxious about discussing it.

And fear is the other one. So we found in the study that people are worried about going to seek support through fear of diagnosis and what that might reveal. But the reality is that many continence issues, like bladder and bowel can be significantly improved and some can even be resolved with the right treatment and support. So it's really important for people to seek the help and support that they need. And I would like to remind them that they're not alone. So around 14 million people across the UK are affected by incontinence. It's more common than people realize. And there's help available. Taking the first step and asking for that support can make a real difference.

Rory McGowan (4:26)

Thank you for sharing that figure because I think it is important for people to understand that they are not alone with a health issue like this. And yeah, if fear and stigma are the kind of the two things that are keeping people back from going to the doctors, then knowing that more people experience this than you might expect hopefully allows them to go, oh, okay, well, surely the doctors are dealing with this more often than I assumed.

Let's talk about then how people kind of overcome that stigma. If our initial answers have given us some confidence, what should be kind of the next steps for people who are like, oh, actually, I've had a bit of an issue for a while, and I now want to kind of go and get help about it. What should they do?