Key Summary
- Many participants who approached healthcare professionals regarding menopause said their symptoms were not taken seriously.
- They were misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression rather than menopause, and offered antidepressants.
- The study also found that stigma surrounding menopause remains strong within families and communities.
A University College London (UCL) survey of black women found that nine out of ten (88 percent) women received no menopause education at school, while over half (58 percent) felt completely uninformed before the age of 40.
The UCL surveyed 377 women, aged 40 to 70, and found that most women sought help only once symptoms were severe, often turning first to friends or social media rather than health services.
Though more than half (56 percent) of participants had spoken to a healthcare professional about menopause, but many were not happy with the experience.
The participants claimed they were misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression rather than menopause; offered antidepressants instead of menopause specific treatment.
Some were told they were “too young” to be menopausal, despite significant symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals were reluctant to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT), even when symptoms were severe.
Many participants - reflected repeatedly in the qualitative analysis - said their symptoms were not taken seriously.
The study also found that stigma surrounding menopause remains strong within families and communities, and many elders in their families consider it a taboo to discuss it.
However, an increasing openness among friends, supported by social media and public conversations, is beginning to strengthen peer support networks.
The participants also described menopause as “psychologically damaging,” with symptoms such as brain fog (66.6 percent), night sweats (62.9 percent), anxiety (53.9 percent), and poor concentration (61.3 percent) affecting confidence and identity, intimate relationships, and performance at work, with some women reducing hours or leaving their jobs.
However, a smaller number of women managed their menopause symptoms through exercise and nutritional changes.
Lead author Professor Joyce Harper (UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health) said, “Our findings show a stark picture: many Black women are navigating menopause with far too little information and far too little support."
The authors have called for mandatory cultural competence training for healthcare professionals; early menopause education in schools; accessible menopause resources in GP surgeries, including leaflets and videos.
Professor Harper claimed this was the first study to focus specifically on Black women’s experiences of menopause in the UK.
Co-author, Adebukola Ayoade, National Menopause Lead within the NHS Work Training and Education Directorate, said: “As a post-menopausal black woman, I know how powerful it is when our stories and realities are acknowledged."
