- Public Health
Gaps in Knowledge and Difficulty Navigating Treatment Options Keep Women from Getting Timely Menopause Care
33% of Canadians wait more than two years for effective menopause care due to a complex series of barriers ranging from confusion over symptoms and dismissed concerns to not knowing where to turn for help.
03.25.26
Toronto, Canada, March 26, 2026 —According to a new GreenShield survey conducted by Ipsos, women generally understand what perimenopause and menopause are, yet this awareness coexists with a substantial and disruptive symptom burden, and relief can take months or years to find. The most common symptoms, fatigue (74%), hot flashes (68%), mood swings (65%), weight gain (58%), and brain fog (53%), demonstrate the extent to which menopause affects day to day functioning.
Diagnosis Seeking
Half of women say they have experienced symptoms they associate with menopause or hormonal health, yet women frequently struggle to obtain a formal diagnosis. One third (32%) of women who have experienced symptoms say they have never received one. Almost half who have experienced symptoms have discussed their concerns with a healthcare professional (47%, higher in Quebec at 53%). While 38% do receive a diagnosis within six months, more than 63% wait from six months to several years. The picture that emerges is one of prolonged delays and unmet needs, even when women seek answers, the healthcare system often fails to provide timely clarity.
Navigating Care and Treatment Timelines
Once women seek help, they enter a confusing and largely self-directed care landscape. Although 40% consult a GP, nearly the same proportion, 39%, say they “didn’t know where to go,” revealing a lack of clear entry points for care. Key barriers include believing symptoms are normal and not treatable (29%), not recognizing symptoms as being part of a hormonal transition (26%, slightly lower in Quebec at 23%), uncertainty about where to seek help (19%), and having symptoms dismissed (21%). As a result, many women shoulder the burden themselves, 55% research symptoms online, and 18% repeatedly book appointments.
Even after identifying symptoms and seeking care, relief is slow to arrive. Only 25% receive effective treatment within the first three months. By contrast, 33% wait more than two years (up to 36% in Quebec), and the remaining women fall somewhere in between. In effect, most endure disruptive symptoms for extended periods before accessing treatment that meaningfully improves their quality of life.
Work Impact & Sick Days
Many women say their symptoms directly affect their work performance. 64% of women say symptoms affect them at least some of the time (lower among Quebec residents at 61%). This results in measurable consequences at work among those who spent time seeking menopause care, including reduced productivity (16%), needing time off (8%), needing to take a short-term leave (6%), or considering leaving their job due to their symptoms (6%).
Employer support for hormonal health is minimal, and in many cases, nonexistent. Only 13% report meaningful supports from their employer, while 7% say supports exist but fall short. 55% say their employer provides no support, and 24% are unsure. This gap has clear retention consequences, a quarter of women would leave for better hormonal (25%) or women’s health benefits (28%), and only 31% feel their workplace supports women as they age.
ADHD Intersection
Almost one-third of women who experienced symptoms of perimenopause or menopause has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (31%). Women diagnosed with ADHD, menopause is markedly more difficult across cognitive, emotional, and workplace dimensions, and they are more likely to speak to a clinician (61% vs 45%). Work impacts intensify significantly, with 82% saying symptoms affect their performance (vs 60% without ADHD), and they experience higher rates of reduced productivity (32% vs 13%), thoughts of leaving their job (12% vs 5%), and mean sick days (3.0 vs 1.7).
About the Study
These are the findings of an Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of GreenShield that was fielded online between February 9-12, 2026 A total of n=1000 Canadian women aged 35-60 participated in the survey which was fielded via the Ipsos’ panel. Quotas and weighting were used to ensure the sample’s composition reflects that of the Canadian population according to census parameters. This survey has a credibility interval of +/- 3.8 per cent 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all Canadian women aged 35+ been surveyed.
For more information on this Factum, please contact:
Raymond VuongSenior Research Manager, Ipsos Public Affairs[email protected]
About Ipsos
Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD)
ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA
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