A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives
Objective: This study aimed to draw attention and give voice to women’s experiences, knowledge, future thoughts and general understanding of perimenopause and menopause, exploring this natural event holistically through a biopsychosocial lens. Methods: One focus group of four self-identified perimen...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
|
| Series: | Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950307825000724 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849239263518916608 |
|---|---|
| author | Mandy Simpson Cynthia Tuuli Elizabeth Eate |
| author_facet | Mandy Simpson Cynthia Tuuli Elizabeth Eate |
| author_sort | Mandy Simpson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: This study aimed to draw attention and give voice to women’s experiences, knowledge, future thoughts and general understanding of perimenopause and menopause, exploring this natural event holistically through a biopsychosocial lens. Methods: One focus group of four self-identified perimenopausal or menopausal women was conducted to gather data. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants through a social media campaign. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis provided a framework to study this important topic through exploring and examining lived experiences in a small group sample size, using the framework’s seven-step data analysis to identify key themes within the data. Results: Four main group experiential themes were highlighted through analysis of the participants' responses: (1) onset and impact of symptoms, (2) menopause and relationships, (3) the knowledge gap, and (4) future thoughts: a desire for change. A prominent overarching theme involved the participants showing less concern for how they were being personally affected by their climacteric experience but demonstrating greater concern for the impact of their perimenopause or menopause experience upon others. This overarching theme was evident within all four group experiential themes. Conclusions: The participants were deeply concerned about how their symptoms affected others. They had limited knowledge when their own symptoms started, but after seeking support, particularly from people with lived experiences rather than academic literature, they became inspired to be a part of bringing about change for the next generation, so that in the future menopause experiences would not occur so unexpectedly for others. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ccc0bd2482b9420898a25c5ae02f8aef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2950-3078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus |
| spelling | doaj-art-ccc0bd2482b9420898a25c5ae02f8aef2025-08-20T04:01:03ZengElsevierArchives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus2950-30782025-09-012310019110.1016/j.aggp.2025.100191A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future livesMandy Simpson0Cynthia Tuuli1Elizabeth Eate2Corresponding author.; Department of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, United KingdomDepartment of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, United KingdomDepartment of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, United KingdomObjective: This study aimed to draw attention and give voice to women’s experiences, knowledge, future thoughts and general understanding of perimenopause and menopause, exploring this natural event holistically through a biopsychosocial lens. Methods: One focus group of four self-identified perimenopausal or menopausal women was conducted to gather data. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants through a social media campaign. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis provided a framework to study this important topic through exploring and examining lived experiences in a small group sample size, using the framework’s seven-step data analysis to identify key themes within the data. Results: Four main group experiential themes were highlighted through analysis of the participants' responses: (1) onset and impact of symptoms, (2) menopause and relationships, (3) the knowledge gap, and (4) future thoughts: a desire for change. A prominent overarching theme involved the participants showing less concern for how they were being personally affected by their climacteric experience but demonstrating greater concern for the impact of their perimenopause or menopause experience upon others. This overarching theme was evident within all four group experiential themes. Conclusions: The participants were deeply concerned about how their symptoms affected others. They had limited knowledge when their own symptoms started, but after seeking support, particularly from people with lived experiences rather than academic literature, they became inspired to be a part of bringing about change for the next generation, so that in the future menopause experiences would not occur so unexpectedly for others.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950307825000724MenopausePerimenopauseBiopsychosocialTreatment-optionsExperiencesFuture |
| spellingShingle | Mandy Simpson Cynthia Tuuli Elizabeth Eate A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus Menopause Perimenopause Biopsychosocial Treatment-options Experiences Future |
| title | A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives |
| title_full | A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives |
| title_fullStr | A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives |
| title_full_unstemmed | A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives |
| title_short | A UK study: Menopausal and perimenopausal women’s biopsychosocial experiences, understanding of treatment options, and thoughts towards their future lives |
| title_sort | uk study menopausal and perimenopausal women s biopsychosocial experiences understanding of treatment options and thoughts towards their future lives |
| topic | Menopause Perimenopause Biopsychosocial Treatment-options Experiences Future |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950307825000724 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mandysimpson aukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives AT cynthiatuuli aukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives AT elizabetheate aukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives AT mandysimpson ukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives AT cynthiatuuli ukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives AT elizabetheate ukstudymenopausalandperimenopausalwomensbiopsychosocialexperiencesunderstandingoftreatmentoptionsandthoughtstowardstheirfuturelives |