Understanding Menopause in South Asian Communities

Introduction

As part of the Working Together in Research Initiative, led by South Yorkshire Innovation Hub, South Yorkshire Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Alliance and voluntary community sector partners, bids were put together to fund research projects that would increase opportunities and diversity in community research participation, addressing health inequalities.

Steel City Community Consultancy Ltd, led by Dr. Zanib Rasool MBE and Kathy Wilkinson was selected and conducted groundbreaking research exploring the lived experiences of South Asian women going through menopause, ensuring coproduction was at the heart of the research. The research involved four focus groups with 22 Pakistani heritage women aged between 42 and 68. Conducted in community settings with culturally sensitive facilitation, the sessions explored how menopause impacted participants’ health, well-being, relationships, self-care strategies and support systems.

Progress, challenges, and lessons learned

To begin, the preliminary conversation with the women was guided by the formulation of the questions for the focus group, allowing women to convey their stories. This helped build trust before the research commenced.

The research identified one of the major challenges was initiating open conversations around menopause, a topic often stigmatised in South Asian communities. Many participants had never discussed menopause with healthcare providers, let alone with family members. The lead community researcher’s own lived experience helped build trust and normalise the topic, enabling open, honest conversations.

It was highlighted a significant number of women felt unsupported by medical professionals. Many reported being misdiagnosed, dismissed, or prescribed antidepressants without proper explanation. Some resorted to Google or social media influencers for advice. Non-medical treatments e.g. supplements, vitamins, herbal and faith-based remedies were commonly preferred over conventional medicine such as HRT.

The focus groups also revealed confusion over the symptoms and stages of menopause. Participants shared difficulty identifying when menopause began, often mistaking symptoms for other conditions such as diabetes. Many described experiences of brain fog, mood swings, hot flushes, insomnia, and joint pain. Some women had struggled for years without realising they were perimenopausal.

Women also spoke about how menopause affected diet, exercise,  self-care, family dynamics, work environments, and religious practices. Cultural stigma often left them isolated but reading the holy Quran was very important to participants, supporting their mental health and wellbeing. However, those involved in the research expressed a strong desire for change, suggesting more community-led sessions, education for men, and culturally sensitive support systems.

Impact, recommendations and next steps

This project empowered women by giving them a voice and validating their experiences. Participants formed WhatsApp groups, shared home remedies, and committed to self-care routines such as walking, healthy eating, and prayer. Some women reported a positive shift in family dynamics after openly discussing menopause.

The research has led to several recommendations including:

• Better menopause education and HRT information from GPs
• Culturally tailored menopause support groups
• Workplace training to support menopausal women
• Inclusion of men in awareness initiatives

Steel City Community Consultancy aims to use these findings to advocate for improved healthcare policy and culturally sensitive training for healthcare providers. Plans are underway to run a menopause café for women from diverse communities,  bringing health professionals to offer advice and support, and embedding creativity in the sessions for the women’s wellbeing.

Read the full report.

Contact

Find out more: info@steelcitycommunityconsultancy.co.uk