In Menopause Years, Partners Become the Strongest Emotional Lifeline (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — More than six in 10 men and women experiencing menopause in South Korea say their spouse is their most important source of emotional support, according to a new study highlighting shifting family dynamics in midlife.
The findings were released Thursday by the LifePlus Femtech Research Institute of Hanwha General Insurance, in collaboration with the Trend Korea research team led by Professor Kim Nan-do of Seoul National University. The results were part of the final installment of the institute’s “Newnyeongi” trend report, which examines social changes surrounding menopause.
The survey showed that 64.3 percent of respondents identified their spouse as the family member they rely on most for emotional stability during the menopausal transition.
The report also revealed notable gender differences in how menopause is recognized within couples. Women tended to detect changes in their partner’s daily behavior and emotional state relatively early, while many men said they were unaware their spouse was experiencing menopause until it was explicitly mentioned.
Spouses Named Top Emotional Support During Menopause, Study Finds (Image courtesy of Hanwha General Insurance)
Researchers pointed to broader demographic shifts as a key factor intensifying family stress. As the average age of childbirth has risen, menopause increasingly overlaps with children’s adolescence, creating what the report described as a “dual-transition period” for families.
The average age of mothers when their children enter puberty climbed from 41.5 in 1995 to 48.1 in 2024, placing many households in a phase where parental hormonal changes and teenage emotional development occur simultaneously.
Hanwha General Insurance said the report was intended to help families better understand the relational changes that accompany menopause and to encourage more constructive communication and emotional support during the transition.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
