Most women lack key information on perimenopause, signalling a need for better workplace resource
One in five women in Canada is unfamiliar with the term perimenopause, and more than three-quarters feel unprepared to recognize its early signs or understand how these changes may affect their long-term health.
New research from Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health, the charitable arm of Shoppers Drug Mart, points to major gaps in awareness and education about menopause and perimenopause across the country.
The findings indicate that 37 percent of women have never received any information about perimenopause or menopause from external sources.
Seventy-nine percent report lacking the information needed to support themselves through menopause. Eighty-five percent are unsure how these changes may impact their long-term health.
Paulette Minard, director of Community Investment at Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health, states, “Our research reveals a significant lack of education and awareness surrounding perimenopause and menopause.”
She explains that this gap leaves women feeling unsupported and often unaware of the various symptoms associated with these life stages.
The Foundation is investing $50m by 2026 to address health inequities facing women, including underrepresentation in health research.
A key initiative involves supporting research to establish a National Standard for Menopause Care in Canada, in partnership with Women's Health Collective Canada.
This includes work at the BC Women's Health Foundation Menopause Centre, where a team is developing and evaluating training for primary care practitioners to improve the standard of menopause care.
Amy Flood, executive director, Women's Health Collective Canada, says, “Menopause is one of the clearest examples that women are not simply little men. Our hormonal journey from menstruation through to later life shapes how we experience every health condition.”
Flood notes, “These findings show that too many women still feel unprepared for menopause and lack the information they need to navigate it confidently.”
She emphasizes the importance of the partnership with Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health, explaining that together they are working to elevate menopause care in Canada through research, improved support, and better access to trusted information and guidance.
