‘Its all part of the big CHANGE’: a grounded theory study of women’s identity during menopause

Abstract

This study explores the impact of menopause on women’s identity and considers the effect of sociocultural factors on their experience of this stage of life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 women and analysed following constructivist Grounded Theory methods. Women described uncertainty produced by their changing bodies. Menopause was interpreted as marking transition to another phase of life, which necessitated renegotiation of role and status in the face of menopause narratives questioning women’s relevance, vigour, attractiveness and emotional stability. We discuss results with reference to what appears to be an unspoken social “rule” keeping menopause hidden, something that enables dismissive menopausal narratives to persist. Our study suggests this resulted in some sense of emotional strain for participants as they negotiated a continuing narrative of their lives through a period of change. However, results also indicate that menopause may provide an opportunity for women to refocus on their goals and wellbeing. We conclude by considering the implications of the study for healthcare professionals working with menopausal women.

Keywords:

• Body image
• menopause
• perimenopause
• qualitative methods
• women’s health

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the women who participated for sharing their time and their story. They would also like to thank Dr Lyndsey Moon of University of Roehampton for invaluable discussion of the research.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests. This study received no funding.

Current knowledge on this subject

• Menopause is a biopsychosociocultural phenomenon.

• Menopause cognitions impact experience and symptom reporting.

• Women express ambivalence, drawing on positive and negative discourses to construct an account of menopause.

What this study adds

• Women interpret menopausal signs in terms of the impact on their individual life story. The findings are suggestive that social changes affecting women’s working and family lives and cultural changes extending focus on youthful appearance to older women may be increasing the challenge women experience during menopause.

• Women need information to interpret their changing bodies and make choices about their response. Information and support is needed which is holistic and makes visible cultural narratives, so that women can be aware of different perspectives and use the opportunity of review to construct a positive post-menopausal narrative.

• An etiquette of keeping menopause hidden enables both the meaning of transition to a new life stage and negative narratives to persist unexamined and may result in women entering menopause with partial information and few positive role models.