Black women's knowledge and attitudes to menopause: an online survey.

BACKGROUND

The menopause experience varies across ethnicities. Limited research exists on the menopause experience of Black women, highlighting the need to understand their attitudes and knowledge regarding menopause to develop culturally relevant menopause education.

METHODS

An online survey was designed with 35 questions using Qualtrics XM, exploring the knowledge and attitudes of Black women aged 40 to 70 years regarding menopause. The survey was live for 8 months across 4 social media platforms. Quantitative and qualitative analysis was employed.

RESULTS

From 481 responses, 377 completed the survey. Of these, 88.3% received no education on menopause at school, and 58.1% did not feel informed at all about this life stage before the age of 40. The vast majority believed menopause should be taught at school or the doctor's surgery. However, information seeking mainly occurred through friends, social media, or healthcare professionals, typically after symptom onset. The majority of postmenopausal women (54.9%) were neutral towards menopause beforehand, but 67.3% found it difficult or very difficult afterwards. Lifestyle changes such as exercise and nutrition were popular for symptom management.The qualitative data showed that their limited knowledge left them feeling unprepared and desiring early education. Gaps in GP knowledge, reluctance to prescribe HRT, and absence of culturally competent care were prevalent. Additionally, stigma limited discussions, fostering isolation. The menopause experience varied from being psychologically damaging, affecting relationships and work, to being empowering.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for culturally competent care and menopause education tailored to the specific needs of Black women.