Conectar
To report on women's experiences of perimenopause and menopause.
A mixed-methods design using an online survey and interviews.
Data were collected simultaneously between April and July 2022. Women over the age of 18 who self-identified as being in perimenopause or menopause were invited to complete an online survey. Women who completed the survey were also invited to participate in an interview to discuss their experiences in more detail. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.
Four hundred and eleven women completed the survey in its entirety. Twenty-five women who self-identified as being in perimenopause and menopause participated in one-on-one interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative data are presented under three themes: (1) The unexpected sequelae on daily life; (2) Experiencing stigma and shame; and (3) Feeling dismissed and devalued.
Gender inequality, silence and stigma negatively impact the health and well-being of women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Encouraging conversations and challenging existing negative attitudes to perimenopause and menopause can reduce stigma, improve health literacy and enhance women's experiences of this life transition.
Further education for nurses and other health care professionals about perimenopause and menopause is required to better diagnose, treat and support women. Nurse-led models of care could provide timely access to menopause care. Workplaces could enhance the productivity and work satisfaction of women experiencing perimenopause and menopause by changing policy to ensure flexibility in the workplace and implementing measures to ensure their comfort.
Women are largely unprepared for the impact perimenopause/menopause has on their everyday lives. The stigma and shame associated with perimenopause and menopause limits women's access to support and contributes to negative outcomes for their health and well-being. Health professionals often have inadequate knowledge about perimenopause and menopause and can be dismissive of women experiencing this transition.
Reporting of the study was guided by The Good Reporting of a Mixed Methods Study (GRAMMS) checklist.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
The overarching aim was to explore women registered nurses' perceptions of gender discrimination in the workplace.
A descriptive cross-sectional exploratory survey within a sequential explanatory mixed methods study.
Between September and December 2023, data were collected from 173 registered nurses who self-identified as women. The survey captured demographic data, attitudes to gender discrimination in society using the ‘Contemporary Gender Discrimination Attitude Scale’ and perceptions of workplace gender discrimination in nursing across four dimensions, assessed using the ‘Perception of Workplace Gender Discrimination for Women Nurses Scale’ (PWGD-WN). Descriptive statistics presented as means and standard deviations were used to describe and interpret data. Regression analysis and chi-square tests were employed to examine associations between key variables.
The mean score on the Contemporary Gender Discrimination Attitude Scale was 4.56 (on a 6-point scale), indicating that on average respondents agreed that gender discrimination remains an issue in society. The PWGD-WN scale mean scores for the dimensions of gender discrimination (5-point scale) from lowest to highest were: ‘Gender bias from other women’ (Mean: 3.13, SD: 1.147), ‘Interpersonal discrimination’ (Mean: 3.30, SD: 1.135), ‘Glass escalator’ (Mean: 3.77, SD: 0.946) and ‘Primary carer’ (Mean: 3.86, SD: 0.796); higher scores indicated agreement with items. ‘Primary carer’ was the strongest predictor of attitude, followed by the ‘Glass escalator’. Highest qualification obtained was highlighted as a key predictor of nurses' perceptions of workplace discrimination.
The results of this study highlight that women in nursing perceive that systemic and multidimensional discrimination exists in the workplace.
The results can be utilised to understand how discrimination manifests in the workplace for women in a woman-dominated profession.
This research provides the first quantitative measure of perceived workplace gender discrimination for Australian women registered nurses.
We have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines—STROBE.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
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