Puberty, personal hygiene, and contraception may have been covered in your sex ed class as a teenager, but menopause was likely left out of the conversation. Many women are left to educate themselves about this stage of life. Thankfully, this is starting to change with states like California now requiring menopause to be included in sexual health education classes for students in grades 7 through 12.(1)
Survey research published in Women’s Health found that more than 80% of women under the age of 40 felt they weren’t well informed about menopause.(2) The brunt of responsibility often falls on women to seek out menopause education resources on their own. The research findings showed that women younger than 20 and those aged 21 to 30 tended to turn to family members for answers. Women over the age of 30 more often took to the internet or scientific journals for information.
Menopause is a life event you should not be left to “deal with” on your own. If you’re experiencing menopausal symptoms, menopause education programs can help you understand the changes your body is going through. If you’re a partner, doctor, or employer to someone going through menopause, this article will outline available resources to help you support the women in your life and community.
The Impact of Menopause Education Programs
Menopause education programs are an important part of women’s empowerment. These programs can help increase public awareness, shift attitudes toward menopause, and support women’s overall health and well-being.
Menopause education programs cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to common symptoms, treatment methods, lifestyle factors, and health risks associated with the physiological changes that occur during this phase of life. You may also receive information about self-care, sexual relationships, or communication with your partner and doctor. Some programs may also explore strategies for supporting women who are approaching or experiencing menopause.(3)
Programs specific to women, their loved ones, and healthcare providers have been shown to help reduce menopausal symptoms and improve women’s quality of life. Greater self-confidence and improvements in women’s mental and physical health are just a few of the many benefits menopause education programs can provide.(3)(4)
Types of Menopause Education Programs and Resources
Researchers have examined the efficacy of different types of menopause education programs.(3) Many are conducted in person, either individually, with a partner, or in group settings. Classes may last anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours and may run for one week or months at a time. Sessions are typically led by a healthcare provider or clinical educator. Reach out to your local hospital network to see if in-person menopause education programs are being offered in your area.
Menopause education resources can also be accessed online, where you’ll find no shortage of courses, downloadable guidebooks, self-paced videos, and scientific journals. In addition to providing comprehensive health information, some of these resources can be used to help you track your symptoms or explore healthy meal options.
If you’re interested in accessing online menopause education, the following resources are a great place to start:
Menopause Education Programs for Partners
Menopause education doesn’t stop at classes for women. There are also resources available for their partners to enhance their knowledge of menopause.
Survey research published in Menopause revealed that 46% of men who had a partner experiencing menopausal symptoms knew that treatment options existed.(5) Spousal menopause education has been shown to improve women’s quality of life during the menopause transition, with some postmenopausal women even reporting greater marital satisfaction.(4)(6) Increasing partner access to educational resources — such as placing informational materials in healthcare settings — is one way to support women’s health during menopause.
Women are often the first to approach conversations around menopause. If you’re a partner to someone going through the transition and are unsure where to start, try exploring educational resources like Winona’s downloadable PDF, How to Talk to Your Partner about Menopause. In doing so, you can take the first step in opening compassionate and knowledgeable conversations about menopause.
Menopause Education for Healthcare Professionals
While progress has been made, menopause education is still lacking within the medical field. Menopause isn’t extensively covered in medical school, leading to inadequate knowledge of symptoms, physiological factors, and environmental influences, which can significantly impact patient care.(7) This can result in misdiagnoses or treatment delays for women entering the menopause transition.
Many universities offer continuing education programs that can benefit healthcare providers across different specialties. These programs give doctors a better understanding of the connection between menopause and different mental and physical health conditions. Clinicians can further enhance their menopause expertise through specialized certification programs.
The following are resources for menopause education and certification programs for healthcare professionals:
Menopause Webinars and Live Q&A Sessions
Webinars and Q&A sessions are an increasingly popular means of education and communication. These live online events may be a great fit for you if in-person menopause programs aren’t available in your area or if self-paced education is not your preferred style of learning. Webinars and live Q&As allow participants to get direct expert insight rather than being left to navigate menopause research on their own.
Winona offers free, educational menopause sessions where patients can ask board-certified menopause experts questions in real-time. Whether you’re curious about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), symptom management, lifestyle changes, or anything in between, all questions are welcome. Register today to join Winona’s next Ask the Experts live Q&A session or Doctor Dialogue with Q&A where Winona doctors are joined by other experts to delve into specific topics and answer questions at the end.
Menopause Research and Education Initiatives
Menopause research and education initiatives have focused on a wide range of topics in recent years. Among them are non-hormonal treatment alternatives, as well as the effects of menopause on sleep, cognitive functioning, and the risk for various health conditions. Other areas of focus include how menopause affects women of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds around the world.(8)(9)
Menopause workplace training has also been the subject of recent education initiatives. Having resources and support available to menopausal women in the workforce has many benefits, including lowering employer healthcare costs, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, and ensuring women’s financial security.(10)
For more information on menopause research and education initiatives, check out the following resources:
The Future of Menopause Education and Research
While menopause research and education has come a long way, it’s only with continued efforts that information can be made accessible to all. Researchers suggest that menopause education be extended into schools, universities, and the workplace. Social media platforms, smartphone apps, and public health campaigns can also have wide-reaching effects. Along with increasing access to menopause education, ensuring the medical accuracy of health information is also critical.(2)
Additionally, it’s important to expand upon who menopause education programs are structured for. Many programs are geared toward women in their 40s and 50s, but including premenopausal women can help them enter the menopause transition more confidently and knowledgeably. Experts also emphasize the need for increased accessibility and inclusivity in menopause research and education programs to include LGBTQ+ people, women of different racial and ethnic groups, women of different socioeconomic status, and women with disabilities.(3)
Women want to be informed about menopause and prepared for the changes that this stage of life brings. Many people also want to learn more about how they can support someone going through menopause. Whether you’re a friend, family member, partner, employer, professional caregiver, or healthcare provider, everyone can benefit from increased menopause education now and in the future.
