The MEMPHIS project
The MEMPHIS (Managing Equity in Menopausal and Perimenopausal Healthcare in Sweden) project is a FORTE-funded research programme led by Dr. Alexis E. Cullen.
Overview
This 3-year project focuses on Menopausal and Perimenopausal disorders (MPD), which are characterized by burdensome menopausal symptoms that heavily impact the everyday life of women undergoing menopausal transition. In recent years, the negative consequences of menopause transition on women's health and working life have been increasingly recognized by decision-makers, healthcare workers, and women living in Sweden. As a result, there has been a marked rise in the number of women seeking healthcare for MPDs over the last 15 years. However, preliminary evidence suggests that such access may not be equal among all groups of women. Hence, the MEMPHIS project was established to investigate potential inequalities in the diagnosis, occupational burden, and pharmacological treatment of MPDs.
Project Aim
MEMPHIS aims to understand whether specific groups of women in Sweden are less likely to receive a diagnosis of MPD and also less likely to receive menopausal hormonal therapies. We will also investigate how MPDs affect their working life. Our studies will primarily focus on the role of sociodemographic factors, region of residence, and whether or not women live with existing mental health conditions. The project will consist of three studies, and will use pseudonymised data from national and regional healthcare and social insurance registers.
Study 1: Diagnosis of MPDs
- We first aim to understand which groups of women are more vs. less likely to be diagnosed with MPDs, and how these trends have changed over time across these groups. Factors such as income, education, country of birth, residential area, and comorbid mental health conditions, will be closely examined.
Study 2: Work-related challenges
- For study two, we will take a look at the occupational burden of MPDs by examining patterns of unemployment and work disability in the years following diagnosis. We will also investigate whether a woman's living situation and occupational branch influence patterns of work ability.
Study 3: Treatment patterns
- In the final study, we aim to understand whether sociodemographic factors influence receipt of menopausal hormonal therapies. We will focus on variables such as country of birth and markers of socioeconomic disadvantage and examine how these factors are related to patterns of medication initiation and continued use.
We anticipate that the findings from the MEMPHIS project will guide organizational strategies supporting women working into later life and advance gender equity. Our aim is to generate robust scientific evidence that informs policy, clinical guidelines, and empower women through improved understanding of menopausal transitions.
Project Members
Core Team
- Alexis Cullen (Karolinska Institutet)
- Alicia Nevriana (Karolinska Institutet)
- Risa Goto (Karolinska Institutet)
- Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz (Karolinska Institutet)
- Donghao Lu (Karolinska Institutet)
- Katalin Gémes (Karolinska Institutet)
- Heidi Taipele (Karolinska Institutet)
Collaborators
- Ali Kiadaliri (Lund University)
- Gemma Sharp (University of Exeter)
- Emma Bränn (Region Stockholm)
- Maria Lee (Karolinska Institutet)
- Katie Marwick (University of Edinburgh)
- Thomas Reilly (University of Oxford)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Alexis Cullen
Duration: 2026–2028
Funder: FORTE (Forskningsrådet för hälsa, arbetsliv och välfärd)