Despite around 10% of Australian women under 45 experiencing early menopause, some as young as 20, there is a lack of information and awareness surrounding the condition.
Now researchers from RMIT and Monash Universities have joined forces with Healthtalk Australia to enable women aged between 28 and 51 with experience of early menopause to share their stories about the impact on their health, personal and work lives and relationships.
The website aims to inform and support women living through the challenges of early menopause and better infomr the health practitioners treating them.
Victorian Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Women and Youth, The Hon Gabrielle Williams MP, launched the online resource today at Women's Health Victoria.
Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow Professor Renata Kokanović from the RMIT Social and Global Studies Centre said the website will help to empower women with early menopause by providing access to quality information and other people's stories.
Research fellows Dr Kate Johnston-Ataata and Dr Jacinthe Flore interviewed 30 women and 16 health practitioners and put together the digital resource.
“The women we worked with share their stories about diagnosis, symptoms, long-term health effects, treatments, experiences with health services and health practitioners, and the impact of early menopause on their personal lives and relationships,” Johnston-Ataata said.
“The website provides a comprehensive, evidence-based and accessible range of resources for women and health practitioners. It includes personal stories on film and audio, a Question Prompt List for women, and care plans for health practitioners.”