Optimizing the management of menopause at the workplace: a scoping review of workplace non-hormone interventions and impact on women with menopause.

Importance: There is a need for interventions that employers and employees can adopt to optimize the health, safety, and productivity of women with menopause at the workplace.

Objective: We conducted a structured scoping review to summarize the literature and identify effective interventions that could help women manage menopausal symptoms at the workplace.

Evidence review: We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) until July 2024 for all studies that evaluated any non-hormone interventions used among women with menopause at the workplace and reported as per PRISMA-ScR. We used a standardized data extraction tool to capture relevant data and conducted a thematic analysis to identify the prominent themes.

Findings: Out of 4,284 potentially relevant citations, we included seven studies, including four randomized trials and three observational studies. Four studies evaluated cognitive behavioral interventions showing improvement in hot flushes, workability, presenteeism, and quality of life, though results varied between studies. One randomized study examined the impact of a structured aerobic exercise program on menopausal symptoms and work-related outcomes showing slight improvement in workability and mental strain. Raja Yoga meditation combined with sleep hygiene education was evaluated in one randomized study showing improvements in insomnia, sleep quality, and menopausal symptoms. Offering regular consultations at an outpatient menopause clinic for managing symptoms through lifestyle modifications improved menopausal symptoms and workability at 3 months after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions and relevance: Several behavioral and lifestyle interventions can help to optimize the health, productivity, and quality of life of women with menopause at the workplace. However, there is limited high-quality evidence on the best available intervention with wide variation in reported outcomes and measurement tools.