Experience Of Menopause Research Articles

Women's Menopausal Experiences in the UK: A Systemic Literature Review of Qualitative Studies.

Menopause, defined as the cessation of periods for over 12 months, can have a profound impact on women in numerous ways. Understanding women's experiences of menopause can lead to improved care and support during this transformative period. The objective of this systematic review is to identify and summarise published qualitative studies that consider the lived experiences of women with menopause in the UK and to serve as a basis for future research in the field of menopause. EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were searched initially in March, and then updated in April 2024. Peer-reviewed papers with full text available in English, focused on women experiencing menopause in the UK, studies published from January 2000 to April 2024, qualitative or mixed methods study design with qualitative analysis. Two authors independently performed title and abstract screening for eligibility. Conflicting opinions were resolved with a third author. Reviewers familiarised themselves with the data and coded the text line by line. Thematic analysis was utilised to place the codes into broader themes. All studies were assessed using an appropriate quality assessment tool. Thirty-two studies were included in the review with 3462 participants involved. 173 primary codes were extracted and organised into subthemes and 3 overarching themes. These key themes were the biopsychosocial dimensions of menopause, understanding of menopause and strategies to manage menopause. Menopausal experiences documented in the literature are shaped by a range of individual and societal factors. While initiatives to support menopausal women are in place, this review also identifies key knowledge gaps and marginalised groups that would benefit from targeted research and interventions. It emphasises that menopause is not merely a collection of symptoms, but, for many, a pivotal life transition. A deeper understanding of these experiences allows us to more effectively support women through this significant phase of life. This review concluded that the menopausal experience extends beyond physical symptoms, also affecting mental health, personal and professional life, and self-identity. Additionally, menopause is shaped by individual life experiences and various personal factors. The studies analysed in this review contain original data from women in the UK undergoing menopause. The qualitative data delves into their experiences with symptoms, accessing various sources of support from NHS and non-NHS sources as well as alternative therapies.

Amplifying Women's Voices in Menopause Research: The Importance of Inclusive Perspectives.

Menopause, a significant life transition for half the global population, intersects biological, cultural and social dimensions. Despite its universal occurrence, menopause research has historically been dominated by biomedical perspectives, often neglecting women's voices and diverse experiences. This article highlights the importance of including women's perspectives in menopause research to ensure relevance, accuracy and equity. It explores cultural variations in menopause experiences, the impact of socioeconomic status and the often-overlooked emotional and psychological dimensions. This article advocates for participatory approaches, emphasising that women's involvement enhances research design, implementation and policy development. Evidence-based interventions that are tailored to the individual can better address the diverse needs of menopausal women. The discussion extends to addressing health disparities, calling for inclusive research and policies to ensure equitable access to care. Ultimately, empowering women through co-designed research and inclusive policies can transform the menopause journey into an enriching life phase, promoting resilience and inclusivity across communities. This paradigm shift in menopause research and policy highlights the need for diversity, collaboration and evidence-based approaches to improve health outcomes and quality of life for all women. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This article has been informed by a menopause service user group who discuss their experiences of menopause. The group was formed because of initial qualitative research and now meet on a regular basis to co-design and co-produce activities that inform ongoing research for the menopause taskforce.

Exploring the clinical, psychological, and social relevance of menopause for trans and gender diverse people: a qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to explore the meanings and experiences of menopause for trans and gender diverse (TGD) people and how menopause affects clinical practice. For this qualitative study in 2021-2022, a scoping literature review informed interview schedule development. Following email invitations, online semi-structured interviews were conducted in March-April 2021 in Australia with three prominent TGD community leaders (trans male, trans female, nonbinary person) and three experienced medical practitioners (general practitioner, endocrinologist, psychiatrist), which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Inductive, iterative thematic analysis of transcripts was conducted. A further literature search was completed in 2024. Themes identified included the following: (1) no consensus on the definition of menopause for TGD individuals; (2) diverse menopause experiences existing in the TGD community; (3) large variations present regarding perimenopausal hormone therapy for older TGD patients: maintain dose, taper to low dose, or cease hormones; and (4) minimal support for TGD people to discuss menopause and concerns around aging. Saturation was not reached with the sample size. There is a paucity of relevant research and no consensus on definitions, management, or impacts of menopause for TGD people. Therefore, current management approaches should be individually tailored and guided by clinical expertise. To formulate practical and realistic recommendations for clinical practice, future research could include the following: (1) a broader literature review into varied gender-affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) regimens among aging TGD people; (2) utilizing the Delphi technique to achieve expert consensus regarding GAHT in older TGD individuals; and (3) a prospective study design of TGD participants on different GAHT regimens over time.

Mediation of the effect of prenatal maternal smoking on time to natural menopause in daughters by birthweight-for-gestational-age z-score and breastfeeding duration: analysis of two UK birth cohorts born in 1958 and 1970

BackgroundPrenatal maternal smoking, lower birthweight, and shorter breastfeeding duration have all been associated with an earlier age at menopause in daughters. We estimated the extent to which birthweight-for-gestational-age z-score and breastfeeding duration mediate the effect of prenatal maternal smoking on time to natural menopause in daughters.MethodsUsing pooled data from two prospective birth cohort studies – the 1970 British Cohort Study (n = 3,878) followed-up to age 46 years and the 1958 National Child Development Study (n = 4,822) followed-up to age 50 years – we perform mediation analysis with inverse odds weighting implemented in Cox proportional-hazards models.ResultsPrenatal maternal smoking was associated with lower birthweight z-scores [β: -0.29; 95% CI -0.34, -0.24] and reduced breastfeeding duration [RRR< 1month: 0.90; 95% CI 0.79, 1.02; RRR≥ 1 month: 0.66; 95% CI 0.59, 0.73 relative to women who were never breastfed]. Greater z-score for birthweight [HR: 0.96; 95% CI 0.91, 1.01] and longer breastfeeding duration [HR≥ 1 month: 0.84; 95% CI 0.74, 0.96] were associated with lower hazards for earlier age at natural menopause. The total effect of prenatal maternal smoking on the time to natural menopause in daughters was estimated as a HR of 1.13 [95% CI 1.02, 1.24]. Birthweight z-score and breastfeeding duration jointly explained an estimated 14% of the total effect [HRNIE: 1.02; 95% CI 0.99, 1.05].ConclusionsThe consequences of smoking during pregnancy on the earlier experience of natural menopause in daughters may partly be offset by intrauterine growth and longer breastfeeding duration to the extent that they mediate the risk of earlier menopause. However, since the extent of mediation by birthweight z-score and breastfeeding duration is small, other factors, including the direct effect of maternal smoking in utero, may play a more important role.

An exploration of women’s occupational participation and identity during menopause: Descriptive qualitative study

Background: The menopause transition is a significant stage of a woman’s life, marking the transition from reproductive to postreproductive life. Occupational identity often shifts in response to life transitions but this has not been explored in relation to menopause. Therefore, our study aims to explore women’s experiences of menopause through an occupational perspective, in relation to occupational participation and occupational identity. Method: A descriptive qualitative design was implemented. Semistructured interviews were completed with five perimenopausal women online via Microsoft teams. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse data gathered. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that a lack of understanding and awareness during the initial stages of menopause negatively affected women’s well-being. Women faced disruptions to their engagement in meaningful occupations, which in turn, impacted their occupational competence and occupational identity. The experience of menopausal-related changes influenced women’s sense of self-efficacy in engaging in occupations and roles that aligned with their occupational identity. Conclusion: Women face significant occupational disruption during the menopause transition. Negative impacts on occupational identity and participation were evident from the participants. This study explores menopausal women’s experiences from an occupational perspective and findings offer potential direction for future research.

Creative Pause: A collaborative, autoethnographic research project exploring how storytelling menopause experiences might support wellbeing

This article reports on Creative Pause: a pilot research project, funded by Research England that explored creative responses to lived experiences of menopause and measured the effects on wellbeing. Menopause is a major part of the life course, yet its wellbeing implications remain poorly understood and this leads to negative impacts on lives. Despite recent media attention, there is a lack of understanding of lived experience and a lack of visible stories about menopause in literary texts and the arts. With creative workshops in poetry, dance, drawing and other embodied writing techniques, the project identified that workshops can support the wellbeing of people navigating this obscured stage in the life course. This collaborative, autoethnographic article co-produced by workshop participants (equally valued as researchers) and the research team uses dialogue, creative and reflective writing to explore the lived experience of menopause. It will show how creativity, specifically storytelling through writing, image, speaking and listening, or movement, can help not only navigate this transitional life stage but also raise awareness and consequently understanding. We argue that supporting people to tell and share stories that draw on lived experiences of the menopause can support them to navigate this liminal space.

“How did I cope with that for so long every day, all day?” Disruption, misrecognition, and menopause at work

This paper uses Leder’s work on dys-appearance to explore qualitative data from interviews with 50 menopausal cis women working in the UK and the Netherlands. We focus on the viscerality of menopausal experiences, how these disrupt women’s working lives and how they respond accordingly. We propose a threefold framework of misrecognition on this basis, inspired by Leder. We suggest our respondents misrecognize their working menopausal bodies because they appear to be malfunctioning, no longer acting as they “should.” The second modality of misrecognition is of themselves, because they cannot work as hard or as fast as their erstwhile selves. The third modality indexes these women’s fear of social misrecognition by colleagues and being labeled as dilatory or under-performing due to their symptoms. We understand the additional work our participants take on to manage their symptoms for and at work as an example of what Leder calls corporeal hermeneutics. But we also expand on his argument, for instance by proposing that these hermeneutics involve re-recognition that the respondents now have different menopausal bodies and are different menopausal selves.

Managing menopause in women with diabetes

The impact of the current diabetes pandemic on the menopause experiences and health outcomes of women with diabetes is under-researched and poorly understood. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often emerges during midlife and, in women, frequently presents synchronously with menopause, which independently increases the cardiometabolic risk. Recent interest in menopause has highlighted the lack of clinical evidence upon which to base menopause management recommendations for women with diabetes. Most evidence relating to safety and efficacy of menopause hormone therapy (MHT), the first-line treatment for menopause symptoms, is based mainly on Caucasian, socially advantaged women with low rates of co-morbidity. The dearth of data relating to MHT in women with diabetes means that much evidence for women with diabetes relies on extrapolation. A nuanced and judicious approach to the management of menopause in women with diabetes and associated co-morbidities is, therefore, crucial. This review focuses on the postmenopausal health risks in women with diabetes and the impact of different types of MHT. It highlights areas of uncertainties and unmet need in menopause care for this cohort of women.

Sexual orientation and sexual functioning in midlife women veterans.

Midlife women experience menopause- and aging-related health changes that may impact sexual functioning. Research has historically relied on heteronormative constructs of sexuality, and little is known about the experiences of sexual minority women (SMW) during menopause. We therefore examined whether indices of sexual function differed between SMW and heterosexual midlife women Veterans. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey designed to examine midlife women Veterans' experiences of menopause and aging. Participants self-reported sexual orientation, sociodemographic characteristics, vaginal symptoms, past-month engagement in sexual activity, and pain with sexual activity with structured-item responses. Sexual function was assessed with validated questionnaires. Logistic and linear regression models examined group differences adjusted for age, education, race, menopause status, and body mass index. In this sample (n = 232, mean age = 56.0, SD = 5.14), 25% self-identified as SMW. Relative to heterosexual women, SMW were more likely to endorse recent sexual activity (odds ratio [OR], 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.13-4.30), less likely to report pain during sex (OR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.16-0.32), less likely to report past-month vaginal symptoms (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.66), and endorsed lower impact of vaginal symptoms on sexual function (β = -0.24; 95% CI, -0.97 to -0.26). Both groups reported high levels of distress related to sexual dysfunction (sample mean = 19.9, SD = 8.0). Midlife SMW Veterans reported better sexual functioning and less impact of vaginal symptoms compared with heterosexual peers. Despite this, both groups reported high levels of distress related to sexual function.

Menopause symptom burden and management across rural, suburban, and urban settings in a US population.

The aim of this study was to compare menopause experience in rural, suburban, and urban-residing women. A 2019 online survey of US females queried respondents on menopause symptoms, resources, and treatments. Those ≥45 years of age and in late menopause transition or postmenopause were included in the analysis. Late menopause transition and postmenopause subgroups were stratified by rural, suburban, and urban residence, and age-weighted proportions for menopause symptoms and treatments were calculated and compared using chi-square tests. A total of 1,531 respondents, 45% (n = 686) late menopause transition, mean age of 50.7 (SD 3.9) and 55% (n = 845) postmenopause, and mean age of 65.1 (SD 8.5) were included. More prevalent symptoms in late menopause transition rural residents were as follows: muscle aches and pains (urban: 49%, suburban: 49%, rural: 65%, P = 0.003), and panic attacks (urban: 18%, suburban: 24%, rural: 30%, P = 0.04). More prevalent symptoms in postmenopause rural residents were as follows: mood swings (urban: 18%, suburban: 14%, rural: 23%, P = 0.02), urinary incontinence (urban: 19%, suburban: 14%, rural: 23%, P = 0.02), and vaginal dryness (urban: 22%, suburban: 29%, rural: 37%, P = 0.004). Vasomotor symptom prevalence was high (71% late menopause transition, 20% postmeopause), but current menopause hormone therapy use was low (11% late menopause transition, 11% postmenopause) and did not differ by residence, despite differences in menopausal resources used. Rural women may experience greater burden of psychological and somatic menopause symptoms but not vasomotor symptoms. Overall low rates of menopause hormone therapy use suggest a need for education regarding hormone therapy, tailored to residential groups who rely on different resources on healthy aging.

The lived experience of menopause and journeying to the other side.

This qualitative research was conducted through the lens of a reflective thematic analysis to explore the experiences of women during menopause. Historically menopause has been viewed through a medical lens, and a process women generally pass through with age. The lifespan of women living later in life after menopause is increasing significantly; and women’s healthcare is receiving more attention, globally. The menopause experience in this research draws upon the narratives from interviews with five women. Key findings from the analysis were themes highlighting the profound impact menopause has on biological, psychological, and social well-being. Three themes emerged from a reflective thematic analysis of the collected data: World turning upside down; Passing through menopause; Who am I now? Data resulting found the menopause experience is situated within a complex intersection of biology and psychosocial phenomena. Prolonged ageing has opened a gap in research informing how to improve the quality of women’s healthcare and well-being during this significant time in life. This study highlights that further research is needed to explore menopause as phenomena intersecting the disciplines of biology, psychology, and social constructs.

Menopause Legacies: Designing to Record and Share Experiences of Menopause Across Generations.

Menopause is often overlooked or medicalized, consequently devaluing individual experiences and failing to support individuals experiencing this life event. Family dynamics, death, and taboo further mean that individuals often miss out on information that could help them contextualize their experiences. We examine participant experiences with menopause and explore designs of digital and non-digital legacies for sharing menopause experiences across generations. We conducted semi-structured interviews and design sessions with 17 participants who experienced or are experiencing menopause. We report participant information needs and sense-making practices, including what personalized information participants wish to pass down and preferred formats for intergenerational sharing. Findings highlight the potential of using storytelling and life-logging to create "holistic" memories of the menopause journey, to support self-reflection, and for using legacies to initiate conversations about marginalized health experiences. We identify future design and research opportunities for the HCI and CSCW communities to support intergenerational sharing of non-medicalized and stigmatized health experiences.

Association between type of menopause and mild cognitive impairment: The REDLINC XII study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between type of menopause (spontaneous or surgical) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Study designThis study was a cross-sectional, observational, and sub-analytical investigation conducted within gynecological consultations across nine Latin American countries. MethodWe assessed sociodemographic, clinical, and anthropometric data, family history of dementia, and the presence of MCI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool. ResultsThe study involved 1185 postmenopausal women with a mean age of 55.3 years and a body mass index of 26.4 kg/m2. They had an average of 13.3 years of education, and 37 % were homemakers. Three hundred ninety-nine experienced menopause before 40, including 136 with surgical menopause (bilateral oophorectomy). Out of the 786 women who experienced menopause at 40 or more years, 110 did so due to bilateral oophorectomy. There were no differences in MoCA scores among women who experienced menopause before or after the age of 40. However, lower MoCA scores were observed in women with surgical menopause than in those with spontaneous menopause (23.8 ± 4.9 vs. 25.0 ± 4.3 points, respectively, p < 0.001). Our logistic regression model with clustering of patients within countries found a significant association between MCI and surgical menopause (OR 1.47, 95 % CI: 1.01–2.16), use (ever) of menopausal hormone therapy (OR 0.33, 95 % CI: 0.21–0.50), and having >12 years of education (OR 0.21, 95 % CI: 0.14–0.30). ConclusionWhen comparing women who experience spontaneous menopause over the age of 40 with those who undergo it before this age, there was no observed increased risk of developing MCI, while those with surgical menopause, independent of age, are more prone to cognitive decline. Women who have ever used menopausal hormone therapy have a lower MCI risk. Further research is warranted to delve deeper into this topic.

Menopause and Traumatic Brain Injury: A NIDILRR Collaborative Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study

ObjectiveTo examine the experience of menopause symptoms in women with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DesignCross-sectional descriptive study. SettingFive sites of the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) program. ParticipantsParticipants were 210 women, aged 40-60 years, who were not taking systemic hormones and did not have both ovaries removed: 61 participants were enrolled in the TBIMS, who were at least 2 years post-TBI and living in the community. One hundred forty-nine participants without TBI were recruited from a research registry and the metropolitan Detroit community. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresA checklist comprised of 21 menopause symptoms assessing 4 symptom clusters (vasomotor, somatic, psychological, and cognitive). ResultsTBI and non-TBI groups did not significantly differ and showed small effect sizes on vasomotor symptoms. On the remaining symptom clusters, women with TBI showed greater presence and severity of symptoms than women without TBI, as well as fewer differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal women on those symptoms. A profile indicating an additive or potentiating effect of TBI on menopause symptoms was not observed. ConclusionsFindings support a conceptual model of menopause and TBI indicating that symptoms most closely associated with estrogen decline are similar for women with and without TBI, whereas symptoms that overlap with common TBI sequelae are generally more frequent and severe among these women. Likely because of lower baseline of symptoms premenopause, postmenopausal women without TBI reported more numerous and severe symptoms relative to their premenopausal counterparts without TBI. Overall, it may be that women without TBI experience menopause as more of a “change” of life, whereas women with TBI chronically face significantly more of these symptoms than women without TBI.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) menopause: Literature review, knowledge gaps and research agenda.

There is growing interest in menopause discrimination in healthcare, the workplace and beyond. However, there is a dearth of research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) experiences of the menopause. This article reports on a scoping review of the recent literature which identified a very limited number of articles and a wide range of knowledge gaps. This is discussed in relation to LGBTQ+ wider health, healthcare and workplace inequalities, and heteronormative and cisnormative conceptualisations of the menopause. A research agenda is proposed. Research should: be intersectional; differentiate between LGBTQ+ sub-groups; aim to understand how menopause experiences impact and are impacted by minority sexuality/gender identities; and examine how menopause healthcare and workplace support can be LGBTQ+ inclusive. Such research is urgently needed to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are fully included in menopause justice discussions and solutions.

Experiences of menopause among non-binary and trans people

Background Conventional categorizations of menopause can be difficult to apply to trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary (TGNB) populations. Menopause has biological, psychological and social meanings that may be hard to clearly apply within a context of diverse experiences of sex and gender. Nonetheless, some TGNB people do experience menopause, and their experiences may be different from those of other groups due to those diverse biopsychosocial understandings and experiences. Method This paper thematically analyses the responses of 15 TGNB respondents who responded to a larger survey about LGBTQ+ experiences of menopause. Results Two key themes were identified: Menopause and embodied identities, and Navigating gender normativity and gender binarism. The first of these contains two sub-themes, shifting and (un)settled gender identities, and embodied dis/connections with femaleness. Conclusions These findings appear to be comparatively novel within the published academic literature but potentially have some parallels with prior observations regarding interactions between puberty and gender identity, and also regarding TGNB people’s experiences of challenges in navigating other health and life experiences normatively understood as female. These explorations raise a number of potentially sensitive questions, given the current debate and controversies around gender, sex and identity. Nonetheless, they point to a need for further research and practice into menopause that is inclusive and supportive of a range of gender and sexual identities.

The association between primary ovarian insufficiency and increased multimorbidity in a large prospective cohort (Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging)

ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of multimorbidity among individuals with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause, in comparison to average age of menopause. DesignProspective cohort SubjectsThis prospective cohort encompassed female postmenopausal individuals from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). The CLSA collected cross-sectional data from 50,000 community-dwelling Canadians aged 45 to 85 between 2010 and 2015. ExposureThe primary exposure was primary ovarian insufficiency (defined by onset of menopause younger than 40 years). Comparators included average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years), early menopause (40-45 years), late onset menopause (56-65 years), and those who underwent a hysterectomy. Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was multimorbidity, which was defined as two or more chronic conditions. The secondary outcome was severe multimorbidity (defined as three or more chronic conditions) as well as frequencies of specific chronic conditions among a comprehensive list of 15 individual conditions. We assessed the association between multimorbidity and age at menopause using logistic regression and odds ratios, with confidence intervals set at 95%. Odds ratios were adjusted for known predictors of multimorbidity, including age, menopause hormone therapy (MHT), education, ethnicity, self-reported loneliness, living alone, BMI, smoking habits, nutritional risk, social participation, and physical activity. ResultsA total of 12,339 postmenopausal participants were included, of which 374 (3.0%) experienced POI and 1396 (11.3%) experienced early menopause. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 64.8% and 51.1% among those with POI and early menopause respectively. In contrast, only 43.9% of individuals with average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years) had multimorbidity. The OR for multimorbidity in the POI population was 2.5 (95% CI 2.0-3.1) in comparison to those who underwent the average age of menopause. This relationship was maintained after adjustment for confounders (aOR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5-2.5). The prevalence of severe multimorbidity was also double in the POI group in comparison in the average age group (39.2% versus 21.1%). There was significantly increased risk of ischemic heart disease (aOR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7-4.7), gastric ulcers (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and osteoporosis (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.1) in the POI group. ConclusionsIndividuals with POI and early menopause experience increased multimorbidity in comparison to those undergoing menopause at an average age. This trend persists even after adjusting for significant multimorbidity risk factors.

Differences in menopausal quality of life, body appreciation, and body dissatisfaction between women at high and low risk of an eating disorder.

Experiences of menopause and quality of life during menopause can vary extensively among women. While menopause has been associated with negative impacts on eating and body image, it is unclear to what extent quality of life differs by eating disorder risk status. The aim of this study was to explore how menopause symptoms and quality of life differ between those women at high- or low-risk of an eating disorder and the potential protective role of body appreciation. This cross-sectional survey study explored differences in menopausal quality of life, body appreciation, andbody dissatisfaction among women classified as high- or low-risk of an eating disorder as part of a wider survey on aging, health, and psychological complaints during midlife. Participants were 255 females aged between 40 and 60 years. Participants were classified as high-risk and low-risk of an eating disorder based on Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26)scores. Differences between groups on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16), and Body Appreciation Scale-2 were analyzed. The predictive relationship between menopausal quality of life and body appreciation was also explored. Participants in the high-risk group (n=111) reported significantly poorer menopausal quality of life compared to the low-risk group (n=144), scoring significantly higher on the sexual, physical, and psychosocial subscales of the MENQOL. The high-risk group also had significantly greater body dissatisfaction and less body appreciation than the low-risk group. Overall, menopausal quality of life was a significant predictor of body appreciation. Women with greater eating disorder risk may be faring less well with menopause. Treating and preventing menopause-related eating disorders will benefit from interventions aimed at not only reducing body dissatisfaction, but actively bolstering body appreciation and supporting the sexual, physical, and psychosocial aspects of the menopausal transition.

Examining the Quality of Life among Working Women in Agartala During the Menopausal Transition: An In-Depth Analysis

Menopause is a critical phase in a woman’s life characterized by hormonal changes that can impact various aspects of health, including the quality of life. Despite the increasing number of women in the workforce, there is a noticeable gap in specific challenges and experiences of working women during the menopausal transition. The study aims to analyze the quality of life among working women in Agartala during the menopausal transition. The study includes N=30 working women from diverse professional backgrounds in Agartala. Data were collected through the MENQOL (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life) Questionnaire developed by John R Hilditch et.al, (1996). Descriptive statistics and percentage analysis were employed to interpret the data. The researcher has concluded that the quality of life of the working women of Agartala seems to experience greater physical, vasomotor, and sexual changes during this prolonged phase. The findings can contribute to developing targeted interventions and support systems aimed at enhancing the quality of life for this demographic group. Additionally, the study may serve as a foundation for further research in other geographical regions, fostering a broader understanding of menopausal experiences among working women.

Addressing sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and gendered disparities for equity in menopause care

Menopause experiences and care vary widely because of biological, sociodemographic, and sociocultural factors. Treatments for troublesome symptoms are not uniformly available or accessed. Intersectional factors may affect the experience and are poorly understood. Disparities across populations highlight the opportunity for a multifaceted equitable approach that includes patient-centered care, education, and policy change.