From Lived Experience to Policy Change

Perimenopause & Menopause Focus Groups in Prince Edward Island

Community conversations led by ASI are bringing menopause and perimenopause out of silence and into policy discussions.

What Is Health in All Policies — And Why Does It Matter?

ASI has long championed a Health in All Policies approach — the recognition that decisions made across many areas of public life shape the conditions in which people live, work, and participate in their communities. Health is not just a healthcare issue. It is shaped by workplace policies, employment standards, public programs, and more.

Perimenopause and menopause affect more than half the population, yet their impacts are rarely considered in the planning decisions that shape everyday life. This project is one concrete example of what Health in All Policies looks like in practice — when you listen to women’s lived experiences, you quickly see how a life stage considered “personal” or “medical” is actually a workplace issue, an economic issue, and a social policy issue.

When people can see themselves in the example, the idea becomes real. This project made that visible. This is the first in a series of projects through which ASI will apply a Health in All Policies lens to different aspects of community life. Watch for future projects.

Listening First: Community Focus Groups Across PEI

Six focus groups were held in communities across PEI — in O’Leary, Summerside, Montague, and three sessions in Charlottetown. In total, 38 women and gender-diverse people shared their stories and experiences. Several sessions reached capacity with waitlists.

The Native Council of PEI and the PEI Association for Community Living supported recruitment for some focus groups.

O’Leary

Willows Community Care Home

Summerside

Rotary Library

Charlottetown

Charlottetown Library

Montague

Lane’s Inn and Cottages

“Women are feeling empowered simply by being together and having space to talk about these experiences.”

What We Heard

The report — Uncovering Policy Gaps in Addressing the Needs of People Experiencing Perimenopause and Menopause in PEI — captures the experiences of Island women navigating this life stage across healthcare, workplaces, and public systems.

In healthcare, many described struggling to have symptoms recognized, accessing accurate information, or receiving timely treatment.

In the workplace, symptoms contributed to missed opportunities, reduced hours, and in some cases leaving the workforce altogether.

Across government and public systems, participants called for coordinated, visible programs — and for information that is easy to find and trust.

"When you're young and you're going to your family physician, you have all that follow-up, but like there's a disconnect after that."

"You leave feeling invalidated, dismissed, and then you keep dealing with it, and you just get quieter and quieter about it."

"I just thought that I couldn't handle it anymore, like that my brain wasn't working, and I just thought that I wasn't smart enough anymore to learn the things."

"There's no dedicated care for women around perimenopause and menopause. And when you think about the number of women that are going to go through it — we're more than half the population."

"It needs to be part of the lifelong women's health education. It doesn't need to stop with the childbearing years."

"There are a lot of benefits for employers to be able to support and retain women in perimenopause and menopause. We're experienced in the job."

This is not just a health issue. It is a socio-economic and policy issue.

What Happens Next

Confidentiality respected

Themes identified (not individuals)

Insights elevated to policy discussions

Alignment with ASI’s “Health in All Policies” approach

Cross-government, cross-sector lens

A second phase is in development — building on what was heard to go deeper and wider.

Featured on CBC Island Morning

Community interest in ASI’s perimenopause and menopause focus groups surged following a CBC Island Morning interview with ASI Coordinator Patsy Beattie-Huggan, hosted by Mitch Cormier.

The conversation highlighted why menopause and perimenopause must be understood not only as health experiences, but as policy issues that affect work, caregiving, income, and community well-being.

"You have to talk to women first, then work across sectors to make change.”

- ASI Coordinator Patsy Beattie-Huggan

Acknowledgement of Funding Support

This project is made possible through funding support from the PEI Interministerial Women’s Secretariat, whose leadership and commitment to advancing gender equity and women’s well-being across Prince Edward Island have been instrumental in supporting this work.

Patsy Beattie-Huggan, the Quaich

Patsy Beattie-Huggan is Coordinator of the ASI and founder of The Quaich Inc., bringing decades of experience in community health, policy development, and knowledge mobilization across Atlantic Canada.

Her work focuses on connecting lived experience with systems and policy change, helping communities, organizations, and decision-makers better understand how social and economic conditions shape health and well-being.

Leading Impact Consulting Inc.

The perimenopause and menopause focus group project was developed and delivered in partnership with Lynne Lund and Trish Altass, of Leading Impact Consulting Inc., a Prince Edward Island–based consulting firm specializing in community engagement, policy development, and research-informed social change initiatives.

Leading Impact works with governments, organizations, and communities to create inclusive engagement processes and practical policy solutions that strengthen social and community well-being.

Stay Connected

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