Charity launches guide on menopause for women with intellectual disabilities

The Irish Heart Foundation has launched a guide on the impact that menopause can have on heart health for women with intellectual disabilities.

The ‘Menopause and Your Heart Health’ resource aims to provide information on the effect of menopause on cardiovascular health.

Research by Trinity College found that many women with intellectual disabilities experience menopause earlier, around 48 years old on average.

This compares to an average age of 51 among the general population; the research also found that it happened at an age of around 44 for women with Down Syndrome.

It found that less than half of women with an intellectual disability were aware of what menopause is and what its symptoms may be.

The Irish Heart Foundations new resource is an easy read resource and was developed in partnership with Inclusion Ireland and Ability West.

Janis Morrissey, Deputy CEO and Director of Services at the Irish Heart Foundation, spoke about the importance of understanding the issue.

She said: “Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of premature death and disability among both men and women in this country, and improving health literacy is a vital step in prevention and early intervention,” said Janis Morrissey, Deputy CEO & Director of Services at the Irish Heart Foundation.

“We are dedicated to improving health equity by recognising and addressing gaps in the current heart health information landscape.

“We are here for all individuals, here for every community, here for every heartbeat.”