A recent study of more than 2,000 women in British Columbia sought to understand their beliefs and experiences regarding midlife and menopause.
The women interviewed reported a general lack of awareness and understanding about this stage of life, what to expect, and how to manage their symptoms. In this article, we’ll explore the findings further and discuss how the healthcare and workplace systems can help these women feel confident about entering their next phase of life.
Glossary of terms to know and learn.
What is perimenopause?
You may have heard of perimenopause but aren’t sure what it means. Perimenopause is referred to as “menopause transition”. It’s hormonal changes that can begin years before the final menstrual period. This phase may last for up to 10 years and may be accompanied by symptoms.
What is menopause?
Menopause is defined as the date of the final menstrual period, confirmed once the menstrual period has stopped for 12 consecutive months, due to permanent cessation of production of reproductive hormones from the ovaries.
Menopause can occur spontaneously or be induced. Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years.
What is iatrogenic menopause?
The onset of menopause by the removal of one or both ovaries or due to ovarian damage.
What is spontaneous menopause?
The onset of menopause by the reduction of ovarian function and hormone production that happens naturally. The average age of spontaneous menopause for North American women is 51 years.
What is post-menopause?
The remainder of a person’s life after the final menstrual period.
What the women are saying.
Women have expressed that they feel unprepared, disoriented by unexpected symptoms and unsupported. These concerns were associated with declining mental, physical and social health.
91.9% of these women experienced at least one moderate to severe symptom of menopause. Those who reported severe menopause symptoms also had higher symptoms of depression, anxiety and loneliness. Those with lower symptoms had higher quality of life scores.
How does menopause affect women at work?
These symptoms influence how people are at work. The study has found that:
- A third (32%) indicated that the presence of menopause symptoms affected their job in some way.
- A quarter (24.8%) reported missing days of work in the last 12 months due to menopause symptoms.
- 17.2% had to cut back work hours during the last six months due to menopause symptoms.
- Almost one in 10 (9.4%) reported having to turn down a job promotion or career advancement in the last half year due to menopause symptoms.
How can workplaces help?
After reading about the number of women struggling, your first thought may be about how you can help those in your office.
In the study, 43.5% of women accessed at least one extended healthcare provider in the last year. Most commonly, they were massage therapists, naturopaths, mental health professionals, physiotherapists and acupuncturists. Approximately 13.2% of participants exclusively utilized extended health services to treat menopause symptoms rather than visit a primary care provider.
Women who used these services found their quality of life increased after treatment and care.
Let Navy & Sage Benefits help.
With this information, you can ensure that women in your office are supported through your benefit plans. Navy & Sage Benefits can help you rework your benefits plans to help the women you employ. We can discuss your needs and create a plan that is exactly what you need as well as the women you work with.
Give us a call, send us an email or fill out the contact form and we will get back to you shortly. And, if you’re looking for more information on the study, visit the HER-BC Report.
