Title: Stella: Managing Menopause for Healthy Aging
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: Menopause is a natural component of ageing, where hormonal changes eventually cause periods to stop. UK women reach menopause at age 51 on average, with symptoms lasting 4-12 years\[1\]. 90% of women experience symptoms of which there are 30+\[5\]. Symptoms dramatically impact physical and mental health, including hot flushes, weight gain, joint pain, libido changes, insomnia, depression and anxiety. Symptoms make working, socialising and remaining active extremely challenging, contributing 14mn UK sick days\[3\] and forcing 1mn women to retire prematurely annually, often at their career's peak\[4\]. Additionally to immediate symptoms, menopause has long-term health implications(AppQ4). Dropping oestrogen levels negatively impact bone density and insulin sensitivity, increasing the chance of osteoporosis and diabetes\[15-16\]. Vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes/heart palpitations/blood pressure changes) occur due to constriction/dilation of blood vessels momentarily disrupting blood supply to organs (inc.brain), increasing the likelihood of developing heart disease and dementia\[13-16\]. Two thirds of people with Alzeihmers are women, menopause is a significant trigger\[17\]. Given average life expectancy for UK women is 82.9 years\[18\], women live with the impacts post-menopause for 30+ years. Menopause is a pivotal time, where appropriate treatment can fundamentally change the trajectory of lifelong health, increasing life expectancy. Whilst menopause impacts 20% of the working-age population\[2\], current support is severely lacking. Only 1/5 OB/GYN consultants receive menopause training, 40% of GPs are unaware of options\[35\], and specialist clinics are scarce. As a result, misdiagnosis is frequent and many women are prescribed antidepressants or sleeping pills instead of menopause treatment. Whilst HRT can be effective, it cannot be prescribed in all cases (history of certain cancers, blood clots, high blood pressure\[1\]). The British Menopause Society recognises the need for a "holistic, individualised approach in assessing and advising women, with particular reference to lifestyle advice and dietary modification"\[14\], meaning the solution is more complex than HRT. Andrea Berchowitz and Dr Rebecca Love co-founded ViraHealth in 2019, developing Stella to revolutionise menopause care. Utilising the latest scientific advancements and expert menopause-specialists, Stella provides personalised, holistic and scientifically-validated treatment through the app. Women choose their unique combination of symptoms, how disruptive these symptoms are, and Stella generates a tailored treatment plan, including live interaction with coaches. 80% of women who complete their Stella plan report improved symptoms. This project will engage with a diverse range of women to ensure Stella is relevant and engaging for all, improving programme commitment and supporting long-lasting habit-formation to improve health outcomes in later-life.


Research activity codes: 2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND CHILDBIRTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE