Menopause is a major health milestone, yet health records barely track it - new research
Capturing data about the timing and symptoms of menopause could help address many unanswered questions about this common yet ignored experience.
Menopause is a natural transition that many women experience in midlife, but its impact on health is often overlooked in medical records. A recent study of nearly 240,000 women found that only 12% of electronic health records mentioned menopause, despite more than half of the women reporting symptoms. This gap in data hinders understanding of the diverse experiences of menopause and its effects on heart disease, osteoporosis, and other conditions.
The research, published in the journal Menopause, highlights the potential for electronic health records to uncover key questions about menopause, such as symptom severity, timing, and how it relates to social determinants of health. To address this issue, the researchers are developing questionnaires for patients to complete during appointments and exploring computer-based methods to infer menopause-related information from existing medical records.
By improving data collection, healthcare providers can better understand and treat the unique needs of women going through menopause.
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