Menopause, culture and ethnicity

Hickey et al, in a 2022 paper titled ‘Normalising menopause’ stated:

‘There is no universal menopause experience’.

People from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds may have:

• Different beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, and expectations.
• Differences in biological and hormonal changes affecting the onset of menopause and symptoms experienced.

A better understanding of these similarities and differences will improve delivery of culturally appropriate care that may help with symptoms and increase the quality of life for midlife women of all ethnicities and races.

In the 2021 census, 25.6% of the population of England and Wales had an ethnic minority background and 16.8% were born outside the UK (ONS data), yet there is limited research on their menopause experiences.