Menopause in low and middle-income countries: a scoping review of knowledge, symptoms and management

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to systematically map available evidence on menopause-related knowledge, symptoms and management in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and identify critical gaps to inform research and policy. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Scopus databases were searched for studies published between 2000 and 2024. Eligible studies were those that reported on menopause-related knowledge, symptom prevalence or management in LMICs. Data were extracted and synthesised descriptively and thematically. RESULTS: From 10,758 records, 252 studies from 41 LMICs were included. Most were cross-sectional (85%) and relied on non-probability sampling (62%), with only 4% being nationally representative. Menopause classification methods were often inconsistent, with…