More than 70% of respondents to a Hong Kong survey had not sought medical help for menopausal symptoms, even as women reported poorer sleep, reduced concentration and worries about their professional image. The online survey covered 454 women and was announced by The Hong Kong Menopause Society on 22 September.
Among respondents who had experienced symptoms, 44% said their concentration or work efficiency had declined and 32% said their work performance had been affected. The survey also found that 61% worried symptoms could weaken their professional image, while 52% feared they could obstruct their career development.
Hot flashes and night sweats were identified by 72% as the greatest menopausal difficulty. Among women who experienced either symptom at work, 65% said it had affected their appearance or clothing choices, while 55% worried about how colleagues viewed them. Across the wider group of women who had experienced menopausal symptoms, 48% said their symptoms had affected their outward appearance.
Some 55% of respondents reported poorer sleep or insomnia, 51% often felt tired and 45% had experienced hot flashes. Among those affected by hot flashes or night sweats, 79% said the symptoms were important factors in sleep disruption. A further 84% reported effects on their daytime mental state and quality of life, while 86% said continuing fatigue and lack of sleep had harmed how they felt about themselves.
The Hong Kong Menopause Society commissioned the survey, which was conducted by ESDlife through an online questionnaire in August.
The society’s founder, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, said women should seek professional medical advice when symptoms persist or affect sleep, work or social life, instead of relying only on remedies they have tried themselves.