MARiE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the Mental Health impact among Menopausal women: The MARiE study
IRAS ID
320397
Contact name
Peter Phiri
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 2 days
Research summary
Menopause is a natural biological process when you stop having periods and are no longer able to get pregnant naturally. The menopause itself is defined as the day when you haven’t had a period for 12 months. It is said, the average age of menopause is 51 but it may happen sooner or later than this. Around one in 100 women experience menopause before they reach 40 years of age.
Menopause may be one of many significant events that happen in a woman’s life hence, it may impact other aspects of life including social and working life. Undoubtedly, the physiological changes have a psychological impact, but this varies significantly among women. Also, hormone changes during the menopause can sometimes make any existing mental health conditions worse. If you have a history of depression, you’re more likely to be depressed during menopause. This is likely to be linked to a decrease in oestrogen.
Based on the current needs and evidence available, as well as the prioritisation of menopause in the UK’s women’s health strategy, we developed a purposeful project to explore the mental health impact among menopausal people called the MARIE project. As part of this study, we plan to explore multiple facets using a single protocol.
Firstly, we conducted an evidence synthesis to report the current clinical and research gaps using peer reviewed and published data. This was used to design the prospective, exploratory mixed-methods component (work-package 2a) by using validated questionnaires currently in clinical practice allowing us to gain further information needed to personalise care in the future. We will then test the MARiE tool using a feasibility study (work-package 2b). The evidence gathered qualitatively and quantitatively at both stages will help the MARiE tool be developed further and the first one of its’ kind in the UK.REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0159
Date of REC Opinion
31 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion