A senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause has made 25 recommendations to the federal government to better support women to manage their symptoms.
Among the recommendations were calls for an awareness campaign, flexible working conditions for women experiencing menopause and reviews of treatment costs.
The Senate Community Affairs References Committee conducted the inquiry to examine the economic ramifications of menopause and perimenopause, their physical health impacts, the mental and emotional wellbeing of people experiencing menopause and perimenopause and the impact on caregiving responsibilities.
The inquiry also considered medical professionals’ awareness of menopause and perimenopause symptoms and treatments and cultural and societal factors influencing perceptions and attitudes.
It conducted seven hearings during the year-long inquiry.
“During the inquiry, the committee listened to the stories of hundreds of women, heard from academics, clinicians, businesses, public health bodies and government departments. The evidence told a compelling story that in Australia, women do not always receive adequate support to manage their symptoms, both in the health system and in their workplaces,” the committee’s report stated.
“The experiences women shared with the committee indicate that for some women, menopause has had a significant impact on their career, ability to work and income. It points to the importance of developing a more robust evaluation of these issues to inform the development of policies to support women in the workplace.”
HER Centre Australia research fellow and research manager, Dr Eveline Mu welcomed the recommendations.
“I … am pleased that menopause and perimenopause are finally receiving the attention they deserve,” she said.
“We are hopeful that these recommendations will not only address the physical symptoms, but will also shed much-needed light on the mental health impacts of menopause, which have been overlooked for far too long.
“With this increased recognition, we also hope to see more funding dedicated toward research on the mental health aspects of menopause, and particularly the impact of brain sex hormone shifts and the pursuit of novel treatments to target the underlying neurobiology.”
