Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

The psychosocial impacts of spontaneous and medically-induced premature/early menopause: A systematic review of qualitative studies. (124523)

Emma Minchin 1 2 , Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell 1 2 , Emily Dewar 1 , Josephine Atwell 1 , Laura Kirsten 2 3 , Jemma Gilchrist 4 , Ilona Juraskova 1 2
  1. School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. The Psycho-oncology Cooperative Research Group (PoCoG), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Nepean Cancer Services, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. Mind My Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: Individuals experiencing early menopausal symptoms, including those induced by cancer treatment, may experience various psychosocial challenges. However, such impacts remain not widely understood and have not been specifically nor comprehensively considered in previous reviews in this area.

Aims: This review of qualitative and mixed method studies aimed to specifically explore psychosocial experiences of premature/early menopause. Similarities and differences between spontaneous and induced menopause were considered, with particular emphasis on cancer versus non-cancer populations.

Method: This review was pre-registered with PROSPERO (ID# CRD42024540324) and adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible sources were peer-reviewed and contained qualitative data focusing on any psychosocial impacts of premature/early menopause. An extensive search strategy was developed, and five databases and reference lists were searched. Data was screened and extracted by three primary researchers and crosschecked for accuracy. Standardised criteria were used to assess quality and risk of bias (CASP). Data was analysed using thematic synthesis.

Results: Of 7,211 records screened, 21 articles reporting on 19 unique studies were included. Thematic synthesis identified three core themes pertaining to the menopause experience: “Intra-personal impacts”, ‘Inter-personal impacts” and “Coping responses”. Two additional themes captured contextual factors influencing these impacts: “Societal and systemic factors” and the “Cancer and illness context”.

Conclusion: Premature/early menopause appears associated with a range of complex psychosocial impacts, affecting individuals at both the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. The illness context may inform how these impacts are experienced by people with induced menopause, especially for those with cancer diagnoses. The salient role of clinicians in preparing and supporting this important patient group is noted, and further research is needed to deepen understanding of these impacts and to inform the development of tailored, evidence-based support.