News

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Initiative urges women to communicate menopause symptoms

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New research finds that 82% of Australian women who have experienced menopause symptoms experience impacts on their quality of life.
 
While 84% feel comfortable talking to their doctors, only 57% who have experienced or are experiencing menopause have sought medical advice.
 
Conversations around menopause have started to shift to being more open, but there is still work to be done and GPs can play an important role.
 
Some of the key findings of the research revealed:

• 67% of women aged 40–65 report that their mothers or other significant women in their lives never discussed menopause openly.
• Despite this, this generation is bringing menopause out of the shadows with more than half feeling comfortable talking about menopause to people outside their close family and friends.
• For those women who have or had experienced menopause, when conversations with doctors happen, 32% said ‘not knowing what to ask’ was a barrier to productive conversations about menopause symptom management.
• Of the women affected by menopause who reported impacts on their quality of life, 78% reported not taking anything to help manage menopausal symptoms.

Menopause can significantly impact quality of life.
 
Among the women surveyed, hot flushes and night sweats were the most common offenders. This was followed by tiredness, trouble sleeping, weight gain, mood changes, brain fog and forgetfulness.
 
Nearly 40% of women who had experienced menopause reported that it moderately (26%) or significantly (11%) affected their quality of life.
 
These are just some of the findings captured by a quantitative survey of 1000 women in Australia aged 40–65, commissioned by Astellas Pharma Australia.
 
It has prompted the launch of a new initiative; Taking Control of Menopause.
 
Taking Control of Menopause aims to address the lingering stigma by uniting women across Australia, amplify their voices and support them to have more open conversations around their menopause symptoms. 
 
Along with sharing first-hand stories from women and connecting them to support and information, the Taking Control of Menopause initiative gives women three simple steps to encourage them to
talk to their GP.
 

• Talk to your doctor about menopause symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats
• Tell them about the impact it is having on your life
• Ask them what treatment options might be right for you. 

Dr Elina Safro, GP and Chair of the Education subcommittee of the Board of Australasian Menopause Society, says it is crucial for women to feel empowered to discuss menopause symptoms with their families, friends, employers and with their doctors.
 
‘Many women may hesitate to voice their concerns, but open communication, including sharing the impact that menopause may be having on one’s life, is key,’ she said.
 
‘There are many options available to support them, from lifestyle adjustments to effective, evidence-based medical treatments.’
 
GPs can help support patients communicate more openly about menopause.
 
By taking the lead when it comes to talking about menopause, actively listening, providing reassurance and discussing the full range of available options, including hormonal and non-hormonal treatments, GPs can empower their patients to take control of their menopause journey.
 
GPs can refer patients to the Taking Control of Menopause initiative website.
 
This article was commissioned by Astellas and independently reviewed by newsGP.
 
Reference: Astellas Pharma Pty Ltd. Data on file. September 2024. The quantitative survey was undertaken to canvas women’s understanding and practices around menopause. The survey was conducted between 16–20 September 2024, from a statistically representative sample of N=1000 women aged 40–65 years across Australia from metropolitan, rural and regional areas.
 
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Astellas Pharma Australia menopause women’s health

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