Bespoke Clinical Services

13 million (50.7%) Australians are born with ovaries, 14% (
3 million) are currently aged 40-59 yrs, & all such who live to midlife will experience menopause, defined as >12 months without a period. Peri-menopause (peri), typically occurs 5 yrs before menopause as hormone levels decrease. As with oestrogen, peri symptoms can affect every bodily system; e.g. depression/anxiety, diminished mental function, irregular periods, hot flushes, sleep problems, vaginal atrophy & urinary urgency. These symptoms are linked with lower quality of life & significantly higher work impairment; a third experiencing symptoms so severe as to impede daily life & increase risk of suicide. Lifetime increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis & dementia are also associated with menopause, yet it remains disconcertingly poorly studied.
The investigators propose to create a world-first, cutting-edge, consumer-driven, Virtual peri-/menopause registry of AusTrALia (VITAL). The unique design will enable consumers to determine VITAL's questions, encourage secure revelation of private data e.g. vaginal & mental health symptoms, & to direct priorities for research, education, & health service improvements. VITAL will thus deliver optimal assessments of incidence, prevalence & impact.
The participating consumers, researchers, clinical specialists, policy makers, & modern virtual data infrastructure enable this unique & innovative registry design, future translation to improved community health, & promote awareness & collaborative synergies. Leveraging the investigators' critical range of expertise & ongoing feedback opportunities for both participants & stakeholder partnerships, the investigators will create a ground-breaking platform that:
* empowers the consumer voice and priorities,
* enables peri-/menopause research to extend beyond existing niche focuses,
* evidences the true impact of peri-/menopause across the nation,
* evolves healthcare services and outcomes, &
* educates community, clinicians, & policy-makers. After Australian registry establishment, the investigators will expand VITAL to mirror it in other nations while still protecting individual's data the right way, but so all can learn & apply the best aspects of care from across the world.