Menopause Literacy Gaps Across Individual, Healthcare and Societal Levels: A Qualitative Study of Women's Experiences and Healthcare Providers' Perspectives
Najmeh Pourshahrokhi, Jamileh Farokhzadian, Myra S. Hunter, Saeedeh Azaraeen, Leila AhmadianABSTRACT
Background
Menopause is a major life transition that can affect women's physical, psychological, cognitive, sexual and social well‐being. Despite the availability of evidence‐based interventions, many women remain insufficiently informed and experience difficulties accessing reliable information and appropriate support.
Objectives
To explore menopause‐related information needs and challenges from the perspectives of menopausal women and healthcare professionals and to identify individual, healthcare‐related and societal factors influencing menopause literacy.
Design
A qualitative study informed by a constructivist paradigm was conducted using semi‐structured interviews and conventional qualitative content analysis.
Methods
Twenty‐two peri‐ and postmenopausal women and 10 healthcare professionals were purposively recruited from healthcare settings in Southern Iran. Data were collected until data saturation was achieved, defined as the point at which no new codes or categories emerged from successive interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed using conventional qualitative content analysis following the approach of Graneheim and Lundman. Trustworthiness was enhanced through prolonged engagement, member checking, peer debriefing and established criteria for qualitative research.
Results
Three interrelated themes were identified: understanding and accepting menopause, menopause management, and challenges of transition. Women described menopause as an unexpected and multidimensional transition affecting physical, psychological, cognitive, sexual, social and occupational well‐being. Both women and healthcare professionals identified substantial gaps in menopause literacy and emphasised the need for timely education, evidence‐based information and supportive healthcare. Symptom management strategies, lifestyle modification, family and peer support, and access to reliable information were perceived as important facilitators, whereas limited awareness, menopause‐related stigma, insufficient provider engagement and difficulty identifying trustworthy information were reported as major barriers.
Conclusions
Menopause literacy is shaped by interacting individual, healthcare and societal factors. Strengthening evidence‐based menopause education, improving healthcare support and developing accessible, person‐centred information resources may enhance women's ability to navigate the menopausal transition and inform the design of future educational and digital health interventions.