Abstract
Introduction: The menopause transition is disruptive, potentially lasting for a decade or more and causing symptoms such as vasomotor (e.g., hot flushes), psychological and urogenital [1]. Non-hormonal management of symptoms exist (e.g., lifestyle modifications) but evidence of effectiveness is inconclusive [2]. Digital technologies may aid management by deploying personalized devices that capture objective intrinsic data to meet individual needs [3] while simultaneously aiding healthcare practitioners deliver personalized and well informed care [4]. Management with digital technologies may have a positive impact generally but focus here is in the workplace.
Background: Symptoms and their interpretations should be expanded to include environmental contexts [5] by considering extrinsic factors [6]. Within the workplace, extrinsic factors worth monitoring (from current recommendations) include e.g.,
(1)
temperature and ventilation and
(2)
work locations and work patterns [7].
Pilot work investigated temperature perceptions and reported those at perimenopausal age felt significantly warmer with reduced levels of thermal environmental acceptability [8]. Workplace implications include deliberate climatic zoning to accommodate thermal preferences of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Tools for implementation suggest a contemporary and multi-modal digital approach.
Approaches: Attainable technologies and methodologies exist to achieve scalable multi-modal sensing which could be applied to symptom management. For example, recent work has devised an approach to fuse data from
(1)
a common wrist worn wearable,
(2)
an individualised environmental monitoring device and
(3)
voice-based environmental perceptions via Amazon Alexa and a web-based app [9].
The ubiquitous nature of wearables and web apps for integration to other peripheral technologies may enable routine capture of qualitative and quantitative data to aid symptom management and optimal work-based environments.
Future directions: Digital technologies (wearables and apps) may better support those with problematic vasomotor symptoms at work, as well as address working environment issues [10]. Investigations examining the impact of workplace changes and tailored interventions as assessed with multi-modal digital technologies are needed.
References:
1.Santoro. 2021
2.Mintziori. 2015
3.Neves. 2015
4.Warke. 2021
5.Bernis. 2007
6.Carpenter. 2011
7.Rees. 2021
8.Xiong. 2022
9.Coulby. 2022
10.Hardy. 2018.
Background: Symptoms and their interpretations should be expanded to include environmental contexts [5] by considering extrinsic factors [6]. Within the workplace, extrinsic factors worth monitoring (from current recommendations) include e.g.,
(1)
temperature and ventilation and
(2)
work locations and work patterns [7].
Pilot work investigated temperature perceptions and reported those at perimenopausal age felt significantly warmer with reduced levels of thermal environmental acceptability [8]. Workplace implications include deliberate climatic zoning to accommodate thermal preferences of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Tools for implementation suggest a contemporary and multi-modal digital approach.
Approaches: Attainable technologies and methodologies exist to achieve scalable multi-modal sensing which could be applied to symptom management. For example, recent work has devised an approach to fuse data from
(1)
a common wrist worn wearable,
(2)
an individualised environmental monitoring device and
(3)
voice-based environmental perceptions via Amazon Alexa and a web-based app [9].
The ubiquitous nature of wearables and web apps for integration to other peripheral technologies may enable routine capture of qualitative and quantitative data to aid symptom management and optimal work-based environments.
Future directions: Digital technologies (wearables and apps) may better support those with problematic vasomotor symptoms at work, as well as address working environment issues [10]. Investigations examining the impact of workplace changes and tailored interventions as assessed with multi-modal digital technologies are needed.
References:
1.Santoro. 2021
2.Mintziori. 2015
3.Neves. 2015
4.Warke. 2021
5.Bernis. 2007
6.Carpenter. 2011
7.Rees. 2021
8.Xiong. 2022
9.Coulby. 2022
10.Hardy. 2018.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 89 |
| Pages (from-to) | 69-70 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Maturitas |
| Volume | 173 |
| Early online date | 7 Jun 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2023 |
| Event | The 14th European Congress on Menopause and Andropause: EMAS 2023 - Florence, Italy Duration: 3 May 2023 → 5 May 2023 https://2023.emas-online.org/ |