Normalising menopause

Hickey, Martha; Hunter, Myra; Santoro, Nanette; Ussher, Jane M.

doi:10.1136/bmj-2021-069369

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…Menopause is a natural life event and certainly in the UK, is in danger of becoming overmedicalised and being defined as a disease which needs treatment. 12 The majority of the women in our survey, when asked how they felt about no longer having periods, felt happy. When asked how they felt about their feeling towards the menopause before they went through it, 53.8% said they had no strong views and the second most common answer was that they were accepting of it (18.0%).…”

Section: Women's Attitudes Towards the Menopausementioning

confidence: 84%

“…9 It has been shown that women with more negative attitudes towards the menopause in general report more symptoms during the perimenopause. 11,12 This study was part of an online survey done by Harper et al exploring attitudes and knowledge of women over 40 years about the menopause and the perimenopause data has been reported. 6 The aim of this paper was to explore postmenopausal women's attitudes and feelings towards the menopause and to gain an insight into their lived experiences with the aim of helping develop educational resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An online survey of postmenopausal women to determine their attitudes and knowledge of the menopause

2023

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Objective To explore postmenopausal women’s attitudes and knowledge of the menopause. Study design An online survey to evaluate women’s attitudes and knowledge of the menopause, promoted via social media. In this study, only the data from 829 women who identified as postmenopausal were analysed. Main outcome measures Quantitative and qualitative data. Results Regarding women’s attitudes towards the menopause before they went through it, 18.0% were accepting of it, 15.8% were dreading it and 5.1% were looking forward to it. 38.1% of women felt that the menopause was difficult, 24.6% felt it was very difficult and 20.7% felt it was fine. 94.1% of women had never been taught about the menopause at school, and 49.0% did not feel informed at all about the menopause. More than 60% started looking for information regarding menopause as their symptoms started. The qualitative thematic analysis of the participants’ responses produced six themes: the need for education, knowledge and understanding of symptoms, why is getting treatment so difficult, feelings and attitudes towards the menopause, the impact of menopause on a woman’s life, the importance of the media – are they getting it right. Conclusion Women’s lack of education and their healthcare professionals’ lack of adequate training on the menopause means that women enter this critical life stage uneducated and unsupported. It is vital that everyone is taught about the menopause and that general practitioners receive proper training. The negative narrative of menopause needs to be re-addressed to normalise the menopause and give postmenopause women hope.

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Section: Women's Attitudes Towards the Menopausementioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An online survey of postmenopausal women to determine their attitudes and knowledge of the menopause

2023

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“…We also caution against the usage of this recommendation as a pretext for unnecessary medicalisation of what fundamentally constitutes a special situation in women’s life course, thereby limiting women’s ability to experience liberation from presentations and consequences of menstruation, pregnancy and contraception, in addition to adding up to medicines and cost related anxieties. 8 Rather, we urge that the health care systems be re-oriented to embrace both the challenges and opportunities that come with addressing menopausal women’s needs. Such an inclination would encourage women’s passage through menopause naturally by preventing unnecessary medication and the unintended effects that follow, and promoting balanced diet, exercise and related behaviours responding not only to bodily changes but also a transitioning social role of menopausal women.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Menopausal symptoms among middle-aged women and care providers’ readiness to deliver menopausal services: an observational study in Kavrepalanchok, Nepal

Adhikari

Bhurtyal

2022

Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters

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Health care needs of menopausal women and availability of corresponding services through health systems are under-researched. This two-stage observational study examined the prevalence of menopausal symptoms among middle-aged women in four rural and semi-urban communities in Kavrepalanchok, Nepal and explored sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care providers’ readiness to provide menopausal health care. We recruited 252 women aged 40–59 years in the pre-, peri- and post-menopausal phases of the menopausal transition, and interviewed 20 SRH primary care providers. The cross-sectional survey provided data on the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, disaggregated by women’s socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviours and biological features, while data on the knowledge, skills and willingness of SRH care providers to deliver menopausal care were derived from interviews. Most women (84.9%) reported experiencing one or more adverse menopausal symptoms. Socioeconomically and geographically marginalised women were more likely to report experiencing severe menopausal symptoms that would require medical assistance than their more privileged counterparts. Sexual and reproductive health service providers were willing, albeit with limited knowledge and skills, to assess menopausal women’s needs and provide menopausal care. They recommended incorporating menopausal care in SRH policies and training and logistics to provide the services. Culturally, economically and geographically marginalised women experienced a higher prevalence of menopausal symptoms. Sexual and reproductive health policies and programmes of the government should expand beyond women of childbearing age or adolescents to include menopausal women’s needs.

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“…El descenso estrogénico puede originar síntomas vasomotores y sequedad vaginal para los cuales los estrógenos, con o sin progestágenos, al igual que la tibolona 137 se han mostrado eficaces 135 , 138 , 139 . No existen datos para asociar el climaterio con las alteraciones del estado del ánimo 140 , estando más en relación con padecimientos depresivos previos, acontecimientos vitales estresantes 141 o con actitudes negativas sobre la menopausia 142 , 143 , por lo que no se justifica el tratamiento ni la prevención de los mismos con terapia hormonal 144 . No se ha demostrado que el tratamiento hormonal oral o transdérmico sea eficaz para prevenir infecciones urinarias 145 , ni tratar la incontinencia urinaria 146 , 147 , o prevenir la enfermedad cardiovascular si se administra antes de los 60 años 148 , 149 , 150 , como sugerían algunos autores 151 .…”

Section: Actividades Preventivas En La Menopausia Osteoporosisunclassified

Actividades preventivas en la mujer. Actualización PAPPS 2022

et al. 2022

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Normalising menopause

Abstract: Martha Hickey and colleagues argue that social and cultural attitudes contribute to the varied experience of menopause and that medicalisation fuels negative perceptions

Cited by 22 publications

References 31 publications

An online survey of postmenopausal women to determine their attitudes and knowledge of the menopause

An online survey of postmenopausal women to determine their attitudes and knowledge of the menopause

Menopausal symptoms among middle-aged women and care providers’ readiness to deliver menopausal services: an observational study in Kavrepalanchok, Nepal

Actividades preventivas en la mujer. Actualización PAPPS 2022

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