Bay of Plenty GP's national menopause survey aims to reduce stigma

A Bay of Plenty GP wants everyone to know menopause is about more than hot flushes.

Dr Linda Dear has launched a nationwide online survey to raise awareness about menopause and reduce the stigma associated with this stage of life.

As of Friday, November 4, the survey had gathered more than 1500 responses.

The survey includes questions about how menopause - the natural stopping of a woman's menstrual cycle - affects women's experiences at work, self-confidence and perception of their bodies.

Dear hopes the findings will help build a future where men and women know as much about menopause as they do about puberty.

"Perimenopause and menopause are big life phases and there's a lot of psychology and lifestyle choices involved.

"Women are leaving their jobs, leaving their partners or vice versa. It shouldn't be swept under the carpet."

Dear said menopause affected everyone.

"It impacts men's lives as well because we all go on the journey together. We need to know what this is about. We need to know what's coming."

GP Dr Linda Dear has launched a nationwide online survey to gather data on menopause. Photo / Supplied

Dear said women going through menopause needed more support and she hoped the results of the survey would help "open our eyes" to that reality.

"We don't want to frighten people but we need to help people be aware of menopause as a phase of life. To make it less of a stigma."

Dear studied medicine in the UK and has worked as a doctor for 10 years. Before deciding to work in medicine Dear worked as a psychologist, personal trainer and yoga instructor.

"The study of menopause brings it all together," Dear said.

As a GP, Dear found there was not enough time in "rushed" consults to cover everything her patients needed.

But some trends were emerging in Dear's conversations with her patients.

"Over the years, I kept hearing about how bad the phase of menopause can be for women."

Earlier this year, Dear decided to start a clinic focusing exclusively on helping women with menopause. Later, she started the survey.

Women can take the Meno Survey by going to www.menosurvey.com. Photo / Screenshot

"I just decided to try and bring the stories I've heard together and get some decent numbers and data to let more people know just how sad the stories can get."

Dear said there wasn't any "decent data" on common or worst symptoms for Kiwi women, or data on the impact of symptoms on women at home and at work.

"I want to bring out the symptoms no one talks about or the symptoms people don't know about."

Dear said preliminary survey results indicated sleep and anxiety were areas women going through menopause found "difficult".

"It's about getting it out into the open. It's good for women to realise they're not alone.

"We shouldn't just be telling women to 'get on with it'. That's not enough."

Dear said it was also important for women to understand there were many different ways to experience menopause.

"We can't assume our experiences are the same for everyone."

Dear said the survey would be open until the new year and it was important for as many people to fill it in as possible.

Dear planned to release the survey's results in 2023.

Women can take the Meno Survey by going to www.menosurvey.com.