Description
Quantitative analysis was conducted for this Northern Ireland Assembly All-Party Group on Mental Health inquiry report examining menopause and mental health impacts. The analysis covered survey data from 486 women across Northern Ireland collected between November 2024 and March 2025.The analysis revealed that 62.6% of women reported significant or high mental health impact from menopause, with brain fog (88%), anxiety (83%), and insomnia (83%) as the most prevalent symptoms. Geographic disparities were identified, with help-seeking rates ranging from 23.5% (Belfast North) to 76.2% (East Antrim). Socioeconomic inequalities were evident: low-income women experienced 68.8% severe mental health impact compared to 33.3% amongst high-income women. Amongst working-age women (25-64), 72.8% reported moderate to severe functional impact on daily tasks. Women experiencing early onset menopause (under 40) showed 10.1 percentage points higher severe impact compared to typical onset.
The analysis provided evidence for policy recommendations including routine menopause screening in primary care, enhanced GP training, expansion of community-based peer support, workplace menopause policies, and public awareness campaigns. The report was submitted to inform Northern Ireland health policy development.
This work connects to my PhD research on health inequalities showing how quantitative analysis can illuminate disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for underserved populations. The findings highlight how invisible populations in health surveillance, here women experiencing menopause, require targeted intervention and policy attention.
| Period | 1 Jun 2025 → 30 Jun 2025 |
|---|---|
| Work for | AWARE NI, United Kingdom |
Keywords
- Menopause
- Quantitative Analysis
- Northern Ireland Assembly
- Mental Health