{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,13]],"date-time":"2026-08-13T17:33:02Z","timestamp":1786642382442,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785542400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785542400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Womens Health (Lond Engl)"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>While menopause is a universal biological transition, individual experiences and engagement with healthcare vary considerably and are significantly shaped by intersecting cultural, social, and relational contexts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To explore how British South Asian women experience and understand menopause, and how cultural and healthcare contexts influence symptom recognition, coping, and engagement with care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Qualitative interview study using semi-structured interviews conducted online.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse data collected from interviews. The analysis captured women\u2019s accounts of menopausal symptoms, understanding of menopause, coping strategies, healthcare experiences, and perceived support needs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Fifteen British South Asian women aged 43\u201361 years across peri- and postmenopausal stages participated. Two overarching domains were identified: (1) experiences and understanding of menopause, and (2) coping, support, and access to information. Limited menopause literacy, cultural silence, and stigma contributed to delayed recognition of symptoms and uncertainty about whether changes were menopausal. Women described a multidimensional symptom burden affecting physical, emotional, and social functioning. Healthcare encounters strongly influenced engagement with care, with dismissive consultations discouraging help-seeking and validating interactions enhancing understanding, sense of control, and openness to treatment options, including hormone therapy. In the context of limited formal support, women relied on self-management strategies, faith, and informal peer networks. Limited understanding among male partners was commonly reported, although generational shifts toward greater openness were evident.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>British South Asian women\u2019s menopause experiences are shaped by intersecting cultural, relational, and healthcare factors. Improving culturally sensitive communication, menopause literacy, and inclusive, community-based support may help reduce inequities in menopause care and enhance engagement with services.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/17455057261478338","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T16:25:26Z","timestamp":1786465526000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Menopause experiences among British South Asian women: An exploratory qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-1513-834X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shahara Aziz","family":"Ellahi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vikram","family":"Talaulikar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Reproductive Medicine, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jessica","family":"Wibisono","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aimee","family":"Spector","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_9_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/gme.0b013e31823fe835"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coemr.2023.100457"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hunter MS Smith M. Biopsychosocial Perspectives on the Menopause. In: Edozien LC O\u2019Brien PMS (eds). Biopsychosocial Factors in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Cambridge University Press pp. 160\u2013168.","DOI":"10.1017\/9781316341261.020"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_5_2","volume-title":"Menopause in ethnic minority women","author":"British Menopause Society","year":"2023","unstructured":"British Menopause Society. Menopause in ethnic minority women [Internet]. The British Menopause Society 2023. https:\/\/thebms.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20-BMS-TfC-Menopause-in-ethnic-minority-women-JUNE2023-A.pdf (accessed 25 May 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_9_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.maturitas.2024.108045"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13697130500515776"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rbmo.2022.06.023"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3399\/BJGP.2024.0781"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-9566.00001"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/MHRJ-06-2021-0049"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13691058.2018.1514069"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4038\/rsijsrh.v1i2.26"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_14_2","first-page":"56","article-title":"Knowledge, attitude and experience of menopause","volume":"20","author":"Nusrat N","year":"2008","unstructured":"Nusrat N, Nishat Z, Gulfareen H, et al. Knowledge, attitude and experience of menopause. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad JAMC 2008; 20: 56\u201359.","journal-title":"J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad JAMC"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203553220"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/hex.70167"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/152460901753285732"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1628806"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08870440008400302"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_21_2","volume-title":"Understanding Menopause in South Asian Communities","unstructured":"Understanding Menopause in South Asian Communities. The Innovation Hub. https:\/\/www.syinnovationhub.net\/news\/understanding-menopause-in-south-asian-communities\/ (accessed 2 June 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_9_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00528-X"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/17455057251338941"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3399\/BJGP.2024.0780"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_25_2","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Menopause: Diagnosis and management [Internet]. https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/GID-NG10241\/documents\/draft-guideline accessed 25 May 2026."},{"key":"e_1_3_9_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fgwh.2026.1683735"},{"key":"e_1_3_9_27_2","unstructured":"Department of Health and Social Care. 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