Survey links hormonal changes to lost sense of identity in most women
Nearly 6 in 10 Canadian women say hormonal changes have affected their sense of identity yet more than half report facing barriers when seeking care, according to a national Leger survey commissioned by Science&Humans.
The survey found that 52 percent of women reported barriers to accessing hormone care and 41 percent said feeling dismissed made it harder to speak openly with healthcare providers.
Twenty-nine percent were told their symptoms were simply "normal aging."
Eighty-one percent said healthcare providers need better training and resources in hormone health.
Among women aged 18 to 24, 43 percent identified their teenage years as the period when hormonal changes most affected their sense of identity.
Conditions including PCOS, perimenopause, and menopause continued to affect women's confidence and sense of self across adulthood.
The data anchors "Who Am I?", a national awareness campaign from Science&Humans featuring tech entrepreneur and investor Michele Romanow.
"Too many women are made to feel like they just have to tolerate symptoms that are affecting every aspect of their lives," Romanow said, noting that hormonal changes can affect energy, mood, confidence, and relationships, yet many women still feel isolated in those experiences.
Hira Siddiqui, co-founder of Science&Humans, said the results reflect how broadly hormone health affects women.
"These findings reinforce just how deeply hormone health can affect women emotionally, mentally, and physically," Siddiqui said.
