Impact of Menopause Symptoms on Women in the Workplace

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of menopause symptoms on work outcomes and to assess the estimated economic impact. Patients and Methods: Women aged 45 to 60 years receiving primary care at 1 of the 4 Mayo Clinic sites were invited to participate in a survey study (Hormones and ExpeRiences of Aging) from March 1 through June 30, 2021. A total of 32,469 surveys were sent, with 5219 responses (16.1% response rate). Of the 5219 respondents, 4440 (85.1%) reported current employment information and were included in the study. The primary outcome was self-reported adverse work outcomes related to menopause symptoms assessed by the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Results: The mean age of the 4440 participants was 53.9±4.5 years, with the majority being White (4127 [93.0%]), married (3398 [76.5%]), and educated (2632 [59.3%] college graduate or higher); the mean total MRS score was 12.1, signifying moderate menopause symptom burden. Overall, 597 women (13.4%) reported at least one adverse work outcome due to menopause symptoms; 480 women (10.8%) reported missing work in the preceding 12 months (median, 3 days missed). The odds of reporting an adverse work outcome increased with increasing menopause symptom severity; women in the highest quartile of total MRS scores were 15.6 (95% CI, 10.7 to 22.7; P