A women’s healthcare company’s latest annual menopause survey shows women 40 to 49 are reporting greater impacts from perimenopause than in previous surveys.

Bonafide Health, LLC, provider of hormone-free treatments for perimenopause and menopause symptoms, said younger women reported feeling more negative about going through menopause and were more likely to say that their symptoms “make them feel like they are surviving, not thriving.”

The survey, now in its fifth year, included 2,040 women ages 40 to 64 who are experiencing symptoms of menopause or perimenopause.

“Year-over-year data continues to show that the onset, preparation for, and initial treatment phase of symptoms remain the most tumultuous parts of the menopause journey – where women are being confronted with more clutter and less clarity,” the company said.

Younger women are showing signs of knowing more, earlier, about menopause and perimenopause, but not enough to advocate for treatment, according to the survey. More than older women, those 40 to 49 said they felt like they should “just deal with” their symptoms and 22% said a healthcare provider incorrectly attributed their symptoms to anxiety.

The younger cohort is more likely to use digital apps or wearable devices to track symptoms, but the survey suggests women of all ages were unsure about hormone therapy or what alternatives they should consider.

“Data suggests that the quality of resources used may be in question,” Bonafide said.  ” ‘Menowashing,’ the marketing of un-studied menopause products for profit, often emerges as a disruptor to true education.

“With many products in the marketplace touted by influencers with no medical background, and celebrities crowding the space, women’s search for safe and effective solutions has become even more complicated.”