Menopause matters: A community-based cross-sectional online survey among midlife women in Malaysia

Menopause is a substantial life transition for women, signifying the end of reproductive capability, with implications for symptoms, long-term health and well-being. Women's experiences during menopause can differ widely, affecting their attitudes towards this transition. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and attitudes towards menopause among midlife women in Malaysia.

A community-based cross-sectional online survey using non-probability sampling was conducted among Malaysian women aged 40-60 years residing in an urban setting. A validated online questionnaire was used to assess the study parameters. Knowledge and attitudes were quantified, and associations with sociodemographic factors were examined using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation analysis were performed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics version 26.0.

Of the 300 respondents, the majority were Malay (94.7%), married (85.3%) and aged 55-60 years (27.3%). Over half (52.0%; mean score=12.98±6.77 [22 max score]) demonstrated poor knowledge, while 45.3% held negative attitudes towards menopause. The average attitude score was 33.48±6.58 [56 max score], indicating a generally negative orientation towards menopause. A weak but significant positive correlation was observed between knowledge and attitudes (r=0.249, P<0.01).

Targeted educational initiatives may be beneficial in enhancing menopause-related knowledge and fostering more positive attitudes among midlife Malaysian women. Future research should rigorously assess changes in knowledge, attitudes and related clinical behaviours after such interventions to inform policy and practice.