Research reveals overwhelming support for group consultations among women experiencing menopause: a promising step towards improving quality of life

A recent study published in the BMC Women's Health Journal surveyed the impact of menopause on women's health by examining women's perspectives and experiences with menopause group consultations.

Study: Experience and severity of menopause symptoms and effects on health-seeking behaviours: a cross-sectional online survey of community dwelling adults in the United Kingdom. Image Credit: MonkeyBusinessImages/Shutterstock.com

Background

Menopause is the cessation of menstruation due to a decline in ovarian follicular activity in women, often in their mid-forties or above. Menopause affects nearly all women, causing significant symptoms that can impact their quality of life. According to studies, one billion women will experience menopause by 2025.

While a recent US study revealed that untreated vasomotor symptoms related to menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and heart palpitations, can negatively impact employment productivity, a UK Department for Work and Pensions study predicted that 600,000 postmenopausal women in the workforce could contribute between billions to the gross domestic product (GDP).

Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective method to treat symptoms of menopause, it is rarely administered.

Awareness and a positive outlook can improve menopause symptoms and women's overall quality of life. However, a Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists survey found that 58% of women cannot access local menopause services, indicating an urgent need to improve menopause symptom management and group consultations.

About the study

The present study examines women's informational demands and motives about menopause and their interest in group-based healthcare, education, and support. With the help of affiliate mailing lists, clinics, and online media, a cross-sectional online survey of British citizens aged 35 to 70 years was carried out. In the 28-question survey, demographic information such as gender, age, ethnicity, education, marital status, and employment status were evaluated.

Only study participants had access to the e-survey results on a secure database at Imperial College London.

This cross-sectional online survey aimed to understand individual women's perceptions of menopause and their openness to group counseling. According to the Stages of the Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) staging system, respondents were divided into premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause.

The study used this criterion to group the menopause phase, and logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between the menopause stage, approval of group consultations, and participant demographics. The statistical program Stata 15 (StataCorp) was used for all analyses. A 0.05 p-value was taken as statistically significant.

A modified version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) survey was developed to examine menopausal symptoms and the causes of medical attention sought. The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) was the evaluation's guide.

Responses to a survey about participants' willingness to participate in a group consultation for specialized medical guidance from a menopause specialist were assessed for the study.

Results

In this study, 953 UK respondents between the ages of 35 and 70 were surveyed to assess the feasibility and public acceptance of menopausal group consultations. According to the findings, 76% of participants participated in such consultations, with premenopausal symptoms expressing an interest in discovering other women's experiences.

Hot flashes and midnight sweats were reported by eight out of ten women between the ages of 35 and 70, which is in line with past studies.

The average number of menopausal symptoms experienced by respondents was 10.7. 61% of respondents sought medical advice on menopause from a healthcare professional (HCP), with the severity of symptoms as the primary trigger. 32% of respondents were prescribed transdermal HRT, 29% for oral HRT, 19% for antidepressants, 18% for local estrogen, and six percent for testosterone.

77% of respondents expressed willingness to participate in a group consultation for menopause and felt secure sharing their experiences with others. Premenopausal participants were 2.84 times more enthusiastic in group consultations, seeking to learn from others' experiences.

Only six percent of menopausal women with low sex drive were prescribed testosterone from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

According to the authors, society must change the narrative regarding menopause and related negative experiences, and healthcare professionals must embrace new ideas on menopause and be actively engaged in providing support if they are to persuade women that their signs and symptoms are real and treatment is essential.

The education of participants and the effective utilization of skilled medical workers can benefit from group consultations.

Conclusion

Overall, the study results show that women aged 35 to 70 are more inclined to participate in menopause group consultations, especially premenopausal women. However, only a small proportion of women believe they have the tools and knowledge necessary to manage menopause.

To increase the knowledge and confidence of the general population, additional research and programs on menopause are required.

Group consultations should be considered to enhance reach and global demand for care.

Future research should evaluate the efficacy and financial implications of menopause group consultations, the number of participants and structure, and remote consultations relative to in-person consultations to increase availability and reduce costs.

Written by

Susha Cheriyedath

Susha has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Chemistry and Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Calicut, India. She always had a keen interest in medical and health science. As part of her masters degree, she specialized in Biochemistry, with an emphasis on Microbiology, Physiology, Biotechnology, and Nutrition. In her spare time, she loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen with her super-messy baking experiments.