Speech is freed around the menopause but there is still a long way to go.
At work, for example, this period of life seems to be a silent poison, even though it can impact women on a daily basis.
In the United Kingdom, according to a report by the association for the fight against gender inequalities, the Fawcett Society, relayed by the
Guardian
on May 5, 44% of women confirm that they have been affected at work by menopause-related disorders;
and this, without having been supported or accompanied by their hierarchy, for a large part of them (78%).
Read also"I learned that I was menopausal when we wanted to have a child"
Brain fog at work
The conclusions of this report were published at the beginning of May, on the sidelines of the broadcast of a documentary
Sex, Mind and the Menopause
, on the British channel Channel 4. The work is based on a survey of 4,014 English women aged 45-55, going through perimenopause or menopause.
Not surprisingly, the symptoms associated with the cessation of ovarian activity do not stay on the doorstep when a woman leaves for work.
Of the respondents to the survey, 84% have trouble sleeping and 73% say they suffer from "brain fog" at work, due to hot flashes or night sweats.
Added to this are manifestations of anxiety or depression for 69% of them, joint pain for 67%, and other lesser-known symptoms such as heart palpitations (41%) and urinary tract infections (39%). ).
What push some employees to take sick leave, without necessarily revealing the reason.
And when they take action (only 26%), 4 out of 10 women cite anxiety or depression-related disorders to justify their absence.
In video, "Menopause", the trailer
A lever for professional inequality
According to the main concerned, this natural physiological phenomenon has even clearly put a stop to their career.
14% of postmenopausal employees say they have opted for part-time work and 8% have not asked for a promotion.
Worse still, one in ten employees would have terminated their employment contract due to symptoms of menopause.
The impact on the physique is not the only culprit.
The report also reveals the poor treatment reserved for women who do not hide the manifestations of hormonal upheaval.
41% of women surveyed say they have been the victims of a joke on this subject.
Ultimately, more than half say they have lost self-confidence through this physiological phenomenon.
Read alsoCamille Froidevaux-Metterie: "Menopause is more of an adventure than a breakup"
Act and prevent
Faced with these data, the association for the fight against gender inequality is sounding the alarm and calling on the British government to put in place a concrete action plan.
The organization asks in particular to create a health structure dedicated to the care of the menopause and to set up in parallel a prevention for the women of 40 to 50 years with, for example, the sending of a list of the symptoms.
The report also suggests that women should be encouraged to discuss menopause with their GP, and healthcare staff should receive mandatory training accordingly to facilitate earlier diagnosis.