Women’s engagement with different internet-enabled technologies to access digital menopause information: A mixed methods, multi-phase sequential study

Background: Information on menopause can come from a variety of sources, from friends and family to Healthcare Professionals, but increasingly digital information has become a significant source. Digital information can be accessed online, through websites, social media, podcasts, and online groups / forums. The extent to which digital information on menopause is accessed and consumed can vary widely depending upon individual circumstances. Existing literature has focused on investigating a single technology at a time in terms of digital menopause information, rather than exploring a wider ecosystem that people may use. As a result, existing evidence is perhaps limited in the understanding of the role these internet-enabled digital technologies play holistically, specifically for digital menopause information.

Objective: The study explored how women engage with different internet-enabled technologies to access digital menopause information and to understand how the technologies related to feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Using a feminist new materialism lens, participants’ experiences of different technologies are considered in terms of the affordances of the technology, the associated affective factors and the agential capacities created.

Methods: Sixteen women aged between 40 and 62, who were going through the menopause, took part in a multi-phase, mixed methods study. Initially, participants completed an online survey to capture demographics, their perceived knowledge of menopause and information regarding their existing digital engagement, this was followed by an entry interview to establish context to their experiences. Participants then completed three menopause information gathering tasks using websites, podcasts, and online groups / forums. After each task, participants took part in an interview or completed an online survey to report and reflect on their experiences. Following this, four focus groups were run to gather a broader understanding of the role of technology in information seeking.

Results: Websites afforded the greatest accessibility to digital menopause information, with participants reporting higher levels of competence and autonomy, primarily due to familiarity. Podcasts were the most novel of the three internet-enabled technologies for participants and also gave raise to greater levels of competence and autonomy, particularly in comparison to the online groups/forums. Almost all, participants found online groups/forums to be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Across the three technologies, affective factors varied, markedly regarding levels of trust in information, but a number of key sources were relied upon. Engaging with internet-enabled technology for menopause information opened opportunities for participants to access peer experiences which helped to normalise, validate, and understand their menopause experiences.
Conclusions: It is important to consider how individuals engage with a number of different internet-enabled technologies for menopause information rather than investigating one at a time. This study highlights the nuances across websites, podcasts, and online groups / forums in terms of familiarity, accessibility, trust and lived experience.