P-22 Menopause matters: the global awareness of menopause symptoms [Abstract]

Williams, Emily, Terry, Louise ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6200-8230, Lindeman, Madison, Anaba, Emmanuel Anongeba, Alor, Stanley and Wright, Melissa E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-4504 2026. P-22 Menopause matters: the global awareness of menopause symptoms [Abstract]. BMJ Open Ophthalmology 11 (S3) 10.1136/bmjophth-2026-wvuk.27

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Abstract

Background Most women now spend a third of their life in postmenopause, with an estimated 1.2 billion postmenopausal women globally by 2030. Symptom knowledge is critical for menopausal women to seek appropriate care but also for non-menopausal people to provide support. A recent systematic review on menopause symptom awareness research demonstrated that non-western and non-menopausal populations were severely underrepresented, and awareness of ocular symptoms in particular were not commonly investigated. This study aimed to investigate global menopause symptom awareness across sexes, countries, and symptom domains so that future interventions can be targeted to specific populations. Methods A pilot questionnaire was distributed to 11 countries (Kenya, Ghana, Ukraine, Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Germany). The questionnaire examined knowledge of menopause symptoms (in vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, sexual and ocular domains), and the perceived hardship of managing menopause symptoms (PHM). Results Responses were received from 2174 participants, ranging from 69 to 286 responses per country. Menopausal women had the greatest symptom awareness, differing significantly from both non-menopausal women and men (p<0.001, rank-biserial=0.87, rank-biserial=0.91). Awareness of ocular symptoms (dry eye, vision changes and sensitivity to light) was the poorest understood domain in 10/11 countries. PHM was associated with awareness (Spearman’s=0.604, p<0.001). Conclusion Men demonstrate lower awareness than women in all domains. Menopausal status was also relevant; non-menopausal women were less aware than menopausal women. Greater symptom awareness was associated with greater PHM. Awareness of ocular symptoms was low globally, indicating a need for global awareness campaigns, customised according to local needs.

Item Type:	Short Communication
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Optometry and Vision Sciences
Publisher:	BMJ Publishing Group
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2026 11:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/190372

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