Using and Appropriating Technology to Support The Menopause Journey in the UK

Abstract

The menopause transition has a direct impact on half of the global population, yet it has continued to be a stigmatised topic with limited focus on supporting it with technology. Whilst attention being given to menopause in HCI may be new, people experiencing it is not and people have adopted, adapted and appropriated technologies to support their menopause journey. In this questionnaire and interview study, we examine how people in the UK are using (and not using) existing general and menopause-specific technology to support themselves through the transition. Despite limited menopause-specific technologies available, participants have found novel uses of technologies such as social media and smartwatches for 1) connecting and sharing, 2) information seeking, 3) tracking and reflecting, and 4) self-care. This work contributes design considerations for menopause specific technologies, and design opportunities and challenges for technologies that can be appropriated to support menopause.