Age of renewal: an occupational therapy workshop for women in perimenopause
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
There are currently over 30 million women in the United States age 40 to 55 who are in or approaching perimenopause. The experience of disruptive perimenopausal symptoms combined with sustained stress in midlife makes it difficult for women to manage their health. A review of the literature suggests that women want to manage their health in perimenopause, yet many lack the knowledge and skills to do so. Further barriers to health management include negative attitudes toward menopause, limited access to knowledgeable healthcare providers, and time constraints from work and caregiving roles. Increased risks for obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and mood disorders emerge during the transition to menopause, making the development of effective health management skills essential. A review of available programming in traditional healthcare settings revealed a notable lack of comprehensive health management support for women in perimenopause. The proposed eight-week Age of Renewal occupational therapy workshop addresses this gap in care by providing women with evidence-based information about perimenopause and training in lifestyle skills that support symptom and stress relief. A mixed-methods program evaluation design measures changes in perimenopausal health management knowledge, skills and confidence as well as symptom severity, as measured by the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS), before and after participation in the program.
Description
2025