Marketing Women's Oral Health: Lessons from the World of Business

Abstract

W hat marketing techniques encourage women to seek health care services, in cluding oral health care services? Is marketing products and services different for men and women? Are there differences in marketing products and services to women and women health professionals? Unfortunately, there is little published data in the health care literature to shed light on these questions. While for years corporations have conducted marketing research to answer these specific questions, little is available to the average practitioner.This article is divided into three sections. The first summarizes current thinking on the impact of gender on marketing health services. The second outlines marketing techniques that are especially useful in reaching women. The third provides suggestions on how to use a popular marketing strategy-branding-to improve one's own standing in the workplace. Marketing Health Care Services: The Role of GenderAs diseases are spread unevenly between men and women, men and women require different health care services. 1,2 It therefore follows that marketing health care services would also differ between men and women.For example, female hormonal fluctuations associated with puberty, menses, pregnancy, use of contraceptives, and menopause cause changes in gingival and periodontal tissues. 3,4 Cleft palate occurs more often in females. 1,2 Women are twice as likely to report orofacial pain and nine times as likely to have Sjögren's syndrome. 1,2 And women are more susceptible to eating disorders and more aware of self-image. 3 Men, on the other hand, are more likely to have 6 mm loss of attachment, are more than 2.6 times as likely to have oropharyngeal cancer, and have higher rates of emergency room visits for head and neck trauma. 1,2 Men and women also differ in their traditional societal role. While these roles are rapidly changing, women are still usually the family caregivers. Of the over 80 million baby boomers, many are finding themselves part of the "sandwich generation," as they are responsible not only for their children but for their parents and sometimes grandparents as well. Ninety percent of women say they are the primary decision makers for all health-care related decisions. Seventyfive percent of inpatient and outpatient visits are by women of childbearing age and their children. 5 Women account for 60 percent of physician and dentist visits, 60 percent of prescription drug usage, and 75 percent of nursing home residents. 5,6 Different researchers have come to different conclusions about the role of gender in demand for dental care. A study by Rutsohn and Ibrahim in 2000 found that gender was insignificant and does not influence demand for care, 7 so those authors concluded there was no need to develop gender-specific strategies although a differentiation strategy would not threaten patient volume. Another study, by Lois Cohen, found that more women believe that oral health is important (89 percent vs. 80 percent), more are concerned about cavities (35 percent vs. 24 percent), more are co...