A Cross-sectional Study of the Associations of Menopausal Symptoms with Presenteeism Among Female Employees of a Japanese company (August 2025)-A Cross-sectional Study of the Associations of Menopausal Symptoms with Presenteeism Among Female Employees of a Japanese company

A Cross-sectional Study of the Associations of Menopausal Symptoms with Presenteeism Among Female Employees of a Japanese company

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This 2023 cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between menopausal symptoms and presenteeism among 553 middle-aged female employees at a large Japanese manufacturing company. Using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), menopausal symptoms were categorized into psychological, somatic, and urogenital subscales, and their severity classified from none to severe. Presenteeism, defined as reduced work functioning despite health issues, was measured using the Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun), with a score of 21 or higher indicating presenteeism.<br /><br />Results showed that 10% of participants experienced presenteeism, with a significant positive association between symptom severity and presenteeism. Women with severe overall menopausal symptoms had an odds ratio (OR) of 19.71 for presenteeism compared to those without symptoms. Psychological symptoms had the strongest association (OR 94.50 for severe symptoms), followed by urogenital (OR 4.48) and somatic symptoms (OR 3.80). Psychological complaints included depression, irritability, anxiety, and mental fatigue. Somatic symptoms involved hot flashes, palpitations, sleep difficulties, and muscle/joint pain, while urogenital symptoms covered sexual problems, urinary issues, and vaginal discomfort.<br /><br />The study emphasized that psychological menopausal symptoms markedly impair work performance, reinforcing the need for workplace recognition and support targeting these symptoms. Despite the high prevalence of menopausal symptoms, many women perceive them as normal aging rather than workplace health issues, often lacking access to or awareness of support. Only a minority reported receiving adequate workplace assistance, highlighting gaps in occupational health policies.<br /><br />Limitations include reliance on self-reported symptom scales without clinical hormonal measures, lack of data on symptom duration, potential selection bias due to the single-company sample with higher education levels than the general population, and absence of absenteeism data. Nonetheless, findings suggest that menopausal symptoms, especially psychological ones, contribute significantly to presenteeism among Japanese female workers and should be addressed through workplace health interventions to maintain employee well-being and productivity.

Keywords

menopausal symptoms

presenteeism

middle-aged female employees

Menopause Rating Scale

Work Functioning Impairment Scale

psychological symptoms

somatic symptoms

urogenital symptoms

workplace health support

Japanese manufacturing company