As we know, women in Australia come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. Cultural background and the culture in which you live may impact on your experience of menopause and ageing. Cultural aspects such as diet, lifestyle, attitude to menopause and ageing, economic status and life expectancy of different cultures may all combine to influence the experience of menopause even down to types and the timing of symptoms reported.

In Australia, the average life expectancy for women is about 83 years¹. As a result, many women will live almost a third of their lives after menopause. For indigenous women however, the picture is unfortunately very different. The life expectancy for indigenous women is 64.8 years². For these women, health issues are related to the problems of heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases and menopause may have less relevance.

Perhaps the most important influence a culture has on a woman's experience of menopause is the way the culture views a woman’s role, the importance of her fertility and the attitude in general to ageing. In some cultures, a woman's life is likely to involve much more physical activity and/or will traditionally have a diet that contains more plant oestrogens which may decrease the frequency of hot flushes.

In some Asian cultures, menopause is regarded as a natural event and women are not apprehensive of its onset, yet others rarely discuss or acknowledge menopause. Occasionally, in some cultures, this time of life can bring an almost mystical status, as postmenopausal women are thought to possess healing and supernatural powers. Alternatively, western cultures tend to focus on the youth and older women feel they are invisible. Interestingly historical influences such as World Wars and the invention of the oral contraceptive pill will impact on women’s experience of menopause also. It is important that in any understanding of culture and menopause, the time in history is also considered.

What can you do to support your emotional health and well-being?

Along with your own tried and true techniques some of the following strategies may be helpful:

• Think about how your cultural background influences your experience of menopause
• Keep a diary of your thoughts and feelings.
• Identify difficulties caused by your cultural background and brainstorm ways to address these – write them down if that is helpful
• Make a list of your positive strengths and attributes
• Take time out to do something special
• Increase your physical activity
• Eat a balanced diet and eat regularly
• Set aside time just for you
• Identify your role/s and whether changes and additions need to be made
• Talk to trusted friends, partners and family member.
• Seek further support from a trusted health practitioner

References

1. 3302.0 - Deaths, Australia, 2004

2. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ current projection for 1996-2004

Content updated October 23, 2009