Evaluation Study on the Effectiveness of Online Consultation Tools for Menopausal Symptoms in Working Women

Health issues specific to women, such as menopausal disorders and menstrual pain, are known to not only affect women’s well-being but also reduce the labor productivity of working women. Technologies addressing these issues is called as Femtech.

Interest in Femtech has been growing in Japan, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has promoted Femtech initiatives by private companies through the “Funding for Demonstration Projects of Femtech Services.”

However, while Femtech-related businesses are growing, the evaluation of the effectiveness of individual Femtech initiatives in improving women’s well-being or enhancing labor productivity including absenteeism, presenteeism among working women are rarely conducted. In line with the government’s policy of promoting Evidence-Based Policy Making (EBPM), METI is advancing the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Femtech projects it supports. This research project is coordinated in response to that request, collaborating with the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a Femtech intervention, the LINE-based chat counseling service provided by TRULY Inc., which receives funding from the METI, in reducing menopausal symptoms and improving labor productivity. It is expected that conducting this research will promote EBPM regarding Femtech in Japan.

Project Leader

• KUNO-MIZUMURA Mayumi (Professor, IGI researcher)

Co-researcher

• IIDA Kaoruko (Professor, IGI Researcher)

•  

  SEKIZAWA Yoichi (Senior Fellow, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry/IGI Visiting Researcher)

•  

  HAYASAKA Minako (Assistant Professor, Tsukuba University/ IGI Affiliated Researcher)

•  

  SASAKI Narie (Professor, Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Tohoku University)

•  

  SUGIYAMA Rin (Doctoral Program Student, Ochanomizu University)

•  

  UEDA Miki (IGI Affiliated Researcher)

May 12, 2025 – March 31, 2027