RESEARCH on heart health during menopause is being conducted by a team at DCU which includes Skibbereen woman Martha Mulcahy.

A survey is under way and the team would like to hear from women aged between 40 and 60. The online research consists of 65 questions which take around 30 minutes to answer.

Martha (26), who is in the second year of her PhD studies, explained that the research is part of a larger EU-funded study, titled CARMEL, which is short for cardiovascular risk assessment in menopausal women.

During her BSc programme in psychology Martha became interested in women’s health and the discrepancies between genders regarding healthcare and research.

“Throughout history most health research has been predominantly focused on men’s wellbeing, excluding women from these conversations entirely. Until very recently, much heart health data used only male samples,” she said.

As the daughter of well-known yoga instructor Matt, and artist Helen, Martha said: “My interest in medical psychology stemmed from my childhood and being raised by two active, healthy parents.

“For as long as I can remember, my parents practiced yoga, so I became aware quite early on how important this practice is for your overall health.

“Medicine and health in Ireland can be very much focused on the physical traits, however, menopausal experiences are shaped by societal stigma and stereotypes.

“Holistic practices such as yoga can inform a more balanced, psychological, and social understanding of menopause and health at this time.”

“It is important,” Martha said, “to understand perspectives on women’s health from women themselves. This is particularly critical around menopause, which is still extremely stigmatised. Women need to be able to share their experiences for future women going through this phase.

“We are also interested in hearing from healthcare professionals and those who engaged in complementary and alternative medicine, such as yoga teachers and mindfulness practitioners.”

Martha explained that the interviews may be conducted in-person​, or online, depending on peoples’ preference.

For more information, Martha Mulcahy can be contacted at [email protected].

The survey is fully anonymous and can be completed on a phone, laptop, or tablet by following the dedicated link: https://dcusurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2uybltOWOIm51yK.