8 in 10 women believe their intuition is a sixth sense—but most still ignore it, study finds

A survey of 2,000 women looked at how strong their intuition is and found that more than half of respondents have a lot of trust in their intuition (56%)—especially those who are moms (74%).

On average, that gut feeling leads them correctly about 68% of the time, especially when it comes to meeting new people (65%), making major life decisions (46%) and when it comes to their health (37%).

Conducted by Talker Research for MD Live, the survey found that 81% of women trust their own “ill-tuition,” or the sense that something feels off with their health before knowing for sure.

However, women don’t pay attention to their feeling that something is off (59%), nor act on it (66%) until their symptoms interfere with their day, instead of being proactive at the first sign that something is off.

The symptoms that would prompt the quickest action are unusual pain (41%), shortness of breath (35%) and heart palpitations (31%).

Women would wait to seek medical care one week if they suspect they’re experiencing a respiratory issue (44%) or infection (48%).

Even worse, they’d put off seeing a doctor for gynecological (57%) or mental health concerns (58%) for at least a month.

In fact, they admit they outright ignore feelings of ill-tuition for itchiness (19%), bloating (17%) and fatigue (17%).

A third of women admit they’re in denial about their symptoms when something feels off (34%) and 63% admit to not seeing a doctor immediately when their ill-tuition signals that something is off.

Women’s intuition and health: trusting the ‘sixth sense’

“Many common symptoms like unusual pain, shortness of breath or heart palpitations can be early signs of an underlying health condition,” explains Dr. Vontrelle Roundtree, associate chief medical officer for MD Live by Evernorth. “Ignoring your body’s signals can prevent timely diagnosis and treatment. Trusting your intuition and acting on it early can make all the difference in managing your health.”

Forty-five percent of women said they ignore their ill-tuition during the workday and another 37% wouldn’t call out of work based on the feeling that something is wrong.

Instead, plenty of respondents take matters into their own hands by searching online for information about their symptoms (38%) or trying home remedies (37%).

Putting off seeking medical care comes from experiences where they’ve felt their symptoms weren’t a big deal (30%), with four in 10 sharing that they’ve experienced “medical gaslighting,” when a medical professional dismissed or ignored their concerns about symptoms they were experiencing.

Barriers to seeking medical care despite health concerns

Other reasons women have put off getting professional care are the cost involved (24%), fear of a potential diagnosis (23%), feeling like a burden, or being perceived as overly dramatic (22%).

But the longer they wait, the longer they worry. Forty-one percent often wonder if the feeling that something is off is more serious than they think.

Waiting certainly hasn’t helped the 43% who have experienced a health concern worsening after ignoring their ill-tuition.

“If you feel something is off with your health, seek medical advice promptly,” said Dr. Roundtree. “Medical professionals are there to help you get to the bottom of your symptoms. With virtual care, you can quickly connect with a board-certified doctor, getting the support and reassurance you need without unnecessary delays.”

Survey Methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 women; the survey was commissioned by MD Live and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 10 and Sept. 16. 2024.

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