- Story
Menopause is not just a women’s issue
24.01.2025 Our society is ageing. Up to now, one aspect of the demographic discourse has been largely ignored: the menopause. Researchers at BFH want to include the topic in two studies.
Key points at a glance
- In our ageing society, the proportion of women going through the menopause is on the rise.
- Menopause can impact women’s physical, emotional and social well-being.
- Two BFH research projects focus on work, nutrition and exercise during menopause.
Switzerland’s population is growing older and older. For years now, the country has seen a rise in the number of workers over the age of 50. Women have played a significant role in this. At more than 75 percent, their employment rate is well above the average observed in the euro area. This trend is driven not least by the increasing shortage of skilled workers on the labour market.
Hidden behind demographic realities and career patterns lies a topic that until recently has barely been in the public eye: the menopause.
An important phase of life
The gradual ageing of the labour force means that more women than ever are working during the menopause. Menopause can last several years and can affect women’s physical, emotional and social well-being and thus their quality of life. So far, the subject had been neglected by researchers in Switzerland.
What is menopause?
Menopause describes the stage of a woman’s life when her period stops permanently. The loss of fertility due to hormonal changes can be divided into three phases:
- the perimenopause, which is characterised by irregular menstrual cycles,
- the menopause, which is when a woman’s period stops for good,
- the postmenopause, which begins one year after the menopause.
The entire phase is commonly referred to as the menopause. It can be accompanied by various symptoms, the most common being hot flushes, hair loss, dry skin, sleep disorders, concentration problems, tiredness, headaches and depression. In addition, there is an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.
Around one third of women have no symptoms during the menopause, whereas another third has mild to moderate symptoms and another third has severe symptoms.
What impact do the drastic physical changes linked to menopause have on women’s work and career opportunities? A joint research team from BFH and the University of Lausanne led by Isabelle Zinn and Nicky Le Feuvre aims to provide pioneering answers with a broad-based study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF.
“The menopause is an important phase in women’s lives,” says Isabelle Zinn. “It’s a stage at which many women no longer have childcare responsibilities, and this is exactly when the symptoms of menopause kick in.”
No “wellbeing policy” for women
In addition to the impact of menopause on their health, women are often disadvantaged at the workplace, according to the researcher. “Menopause is a gender-specific ageing characteristic,” emphasizes Isabelle Zinn. “It makes women vulnerable to discrimination, for example in terms of career opportunities.”
The researcher refers to studies from the UK. In these surveys, almost half of the women reported a negative impact on their work situation and one in ten stated that they had left the workforce as a result.
We can contribute to breaking the taboo around menopause.
For Isabelle Zinn, the impact of menopause extends far beyond women’s health: “This is not a matter of wellbeing policies for mature women. Rather, it is about social and economic issues – on the one hand for the women affected and on the other for the companies in which they work.”
According to the researcher, addressing menopause is becoming a priority in an increasing number of companies due to the growing shortage of skilled workers, since menopause-induced absences can have a big financial cost for employers.
Healthcare facilities as a field of research
With this research project, Isabelle Zinn and her colleagues aim to shed light on menopause from various perspectives. They have secured partnerships with several healthcare institutions in three cantons, where they will conduct their research. The institutions were chosen because they employ a high proportion of women in approximately 150 professions, as Isabelle Zinn points out.
Using online surveys, biographical interviews and discussions with HR experts, line managers and staff representatives, the researchers plan to collect new insights and a vast array of experiences over the next three years. These will be supplemented by findings derived from observations made during the treatment of women with menopausal symptoms, in which the research team will be involved.
Second study: Staying healthy through menopause
How does menopause affect women’s eating and exercise habits, and what forms of support are indicated? A BFH research project that is currently in a preparatory phase will address these questions.
“During menopause, the risk of developing certain diseases increases,” stresses Karin Haas, project manager and co-head of BFH’s Institute on Ageing. “We want to investigate what forms of diet and exercise help preserve women’s health and increase their well-being.”
According to the researcher, not everything that women do to prevent weight gain during the menopause has a positive effect on their health: “For instance, women who undergo strict diets during menopause to avoid weight gain or changes in their body shape may be putting their health at risk in the long term.”
The study will focus on the needs of women and their preferences regarding counsel on menopause management and will focus on different population groups. According to Karin Haas, women’s education, background and life circumstances can mean that they have different concerns and priorities. In initial talks, she noticed a great deal of interest in the matter. “Many women still feel that they have to deal alone with the impact of menopause.”
Raising awareness
What are the goals of the researchers? First and foremost, “raising society’s awareness about this issue. The mere fact of conducting the study will help break down the taboo around menopause,” says Karin Haas. Secondly, the research team wants to present an overview of the symptoms of menopause and examine their concrete impact on women in the Swiss labour market.
Menopause primarily affects women, but it also has an impact on society as a whole.
Thirdly, recommendations will be derived for measures that will help companies increase the well-being of women during menopause and ensure that they do not lose their numerically significant skilled workforce.
According to Isabelle Zinn, easy-to-implement measures are plentiful. She mentions improving the work environment, for example by adjusting the room temperature to better suit women’s needs. Other possible steps include clear anti-discrimination guidelines and more flexible working hours.
An impact on everyone
The researcher is convinced that menopause is not just a women’s issue. “Menopause primarily affects women, but it has an impact on their entire environment and on society – men, colleagues, children, families.” This is also a reason why it is worth taking a closer look at the subject, emphasises Isabelle Zinn.
