Understanding the interplay between cognitive changes at menopause, the workplace, and mental health: qualitative findings from the MARIE-UK (WP2a) project.

@article{hinchliff2026understanding,
  title = {{Understanding the interplay between cognitive changes at menopause, the workplace, and mental health: qualitative findings from the MARIE-UK (WP2a) project.}},
  author = {Sharron Hinchliff and Kristina Potočnik and Gayathri Delanerolle and Julie Taylor and Kathryn Elliot and Donatella Fontana and Lucky Saraswat and Nick Panay and Vikram Talaulikar and Carol Atkinson and Helen Felicity Kemp and Om Kurmi and Nirmala Rathnayake and Lamya Al-Kharusi and Vindya Pathiraja and Nihal Al-Riyami and Ramya Palanisamy and George Uchenna Eleje and Peter Phiri},
  journal = {Frontiers in global women's health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fgwh.2026.1878423},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921152},
  note = {CC BY},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Understanding the interplay between cognitive changes at menopause, the workplace, and mental health: qualitative findings from the MARIE-UK (WP2a) project.
AU  - Sharron Hinchliff
AU  - Kristina Potočnik
AU  - Gayathri Delanerolle
AU  - Julie Taylor
AU  - Kathryn Elliot
AU  - Donatella Fontana
AU  - Lucky Saraswat
AU  - Nick Panay
AU  - Vikram Talaulikar
AU  - Carol Atkinson
AU  - Helen Felicity Kemp
AU  - Om Kurmi
AU  - Nirmala Rathnayake
AU  - Lamya Al-Kharusi
AU  - Vindya Pathiraja
AU  - Nihal Al-Riyami
AU  - Ramya Palanisamy
AU  - George Uchenna Eleje
AU  - Peter Phiri
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/09
JO  - Frontiers in global women's health
DO  - 10.3389/fgwh.2026.1878423
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921152
AB  - Background  Cognitive changes are widely experienced during the menopause transition and, when severe, can disrupt women's working lives and negatively impact their mental health. While prior research has documented the detrimental effect of menopausal symptoms on women's quality of life, there remains a paucity of empirical evidence specifically exploring the intersection between cognitive changes and identity reconstruction within occupational settings. The objective of this study was to understand women's experiences of cognitive changes at work during menopause, including how they navigate these difficulties.Methods  This qualitative, exploratory study, involved in-depth interviews with 50 women aged 43-67 years (mean 52.3) recruited for the MARIE-UK (WP2a) project. Data were analysed using collaborative reflexive thematic analysis, through the lens of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. Data trustworthiness was ensured through investigator consensus.Results  The majority of participants experienced cognitive changes at menopause, such as brain fog and memory problems, which negatively impacted their mental health at work. Participants experienced loss of confidence in their abilities, an increase in anxiety, and a change in their sense of self. Due to the depletion of valuable resources (resources are anything an individual values), they struggled to regain a semblance of normality. Those who received workplace support managed to break the spiral of resource loss and better cope with the detrimental effects of the symptoms.Conclusion  Understanding women's experiences of cognitive changes and mental health in the workplace through the COR theory has shown that menopause is a demand that can significantly deplete women's valuable resources to perform their work duties. Menopausal cognitive changes profoundly disrupted their sense of self and perceived ability to work effectively. The intersection of cognitive and psychological symptoms with workplace stressors exacerbated mental health burdens and perpetuated gender inequalities. Interventions to support workplace wellbeing are required, particularly as the proportion of menopausal women in paid employment increases.
SN  - 2673-5059
ER  -