Women's conception of the menopausal transition – a qualitative study (original) (raw)
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International Nursing Review, 2003
Aim: To identify and describe expectations, apprehensions and knowledge about the menopausal period and climacteric symptoms. Method: Data were collected by semistructured interviews/discussions with a convenience sample of 39 women, all 47 years of age. Data interpretation and analysis were based on content analysis, but influenced by a qualitative approach. Findings: These included women's expectations and feelings of freedom. Apprehensions were described as different climacteric symptoms, which were well known to the women through their own or other's experiences. The women were, to some extent, aware of the physical and psychological changes that follow the menopause. However, the women lacked knowledge about these changes or self-care activities that could prevent problems or mitigate symptoms. Key conclusions and implications for practice: Discussions on health with premenopausal women can increase their knowledge about a natural phase of life, the climacteric period. The study showed that nurses/midwives who have regular contact with some women during their life have an important role to play in providing information, as well as in the treatment of climacteric symptoms.
Women's experiences in the transition to menopause: a qualitative research
BMC Women's Health, 2022
Background Around the time of transition to menopausal period, women experience mental, and psychological disorders that require adequate attention to these symptoms. This study aimed to explore the experiences of women in the face of premenopausal symptoms. Methods This qualitative study was conducted using a content analysis method in Javanrood, Iran, in 2020. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured face to face interviews with 16 premenopausal using interview guide in a private room in comprehensive health centers. The women inclusion criteria were approaching menopause, having irregular menstruation, and having no disease or medication that affects menstruation. Furthermore, the exclusion criteria were the absence of menstruation for more than 12 months, and the women's refusal to continue the interview. The participants were selected using purposive sampling and sampling continued until data saturation. The collected data were analyzed with MAXQDA10 softwar...
Women's experience and attitudes towards menopause and health: descriptive research
Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 2016
Introduction: The physiological changes in hormonal levels occurring during perimenopause and postmenopause may affect the health of women. The purpose of the research was to explore the views and attitudes of women of this stage towards menopause, health, healthy lifestyle and some aspects of information regarding menopause. Methods: The study was based on a quantitative and qualitative approach. A semi-structured questionnaire (Cronbach α = 0.813) was used as a research instrument. The open question was interpreted by a qualitative method. A random systematic sample consisted of one hundred female patients, aged 45 to 60 years, attending a private healthcare institution. The survey was conducted in October 2014. The data collected were processed with the software Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 20.0. Results: The self-reported health status of the respondents was good (57.3 %) or very good (22.3 %). The most commonly cited symptoms included hot flushes and night sweats (= 2.73), sleep problems (= 2.8), and mental and physical exhaustion (= 2.70). Information from nurses was never sought by 57.6 % and occasionally by 9.8 % of the respondents, although the interviewees expressed the need for more comprehensive information on the subject. The identified subcategories include a positive attitude and self-confidence, support of the environment, consumer health information and healthy lifestyle. Discussion and conclusion: The research participants have a positive attitude to health, they are aware that there is much they can do to maintain and improve their health. As they also expressed the need to be better informed, the scope of nurses' work in referential outpatient clinics may be extended to menopausal counselling. However, more research on this topic needs to be undertaken. IZVLEČEK Uvod: Obdobje perimenopavze in pomenopavze vpliva na zdravje žensk. Namen raziskave je bil raziskati stališča in odnos žensk do tega obdobja, do zdravja in do zdravega življenjskega sloga ter nekatere vidike informiranosti. Metode: Raziskava temelji na kvantitativnem in kvalitativnem pristopu. Uporabljen je bil delno strukturirani vprašalnik (Cronbach α = 0,813). Opisno vprašanje je bilo interpretirano s kvalitativno metodo. Uporabljen je bil slučajnostni sistematični vzorec stotih pacientk zasebne zdravstvene ustanove, vključitveni kriterij je bil starost od 45 do 60 let. Anketiranje je bilo izvedeno oktobra 2014. Podatki so bili obdelani s programskim orodjem Microsoft Excel in SPSS verzija 20.0. Rezultati: Anketiranke ocenjujejo svoje zdravje kot dobro (57,3 %) oziroma zelo dobro (22,3 %). Največ težav imajo z vročinskimi oblivi in navali znojenja (= 2,73), s spanjem (= 2,8) ter s psihično in fizično izčrpanostjo (= 2,70). Pri medicinski sestri informacij nikoli ni iskalo 57,6 % vprašanih in nobena od njih pogosto, občasno pa le 9,8 % vprašanih, kljub temu da so anketiranke izpostavile problem premajhne informiranosti. Prepoznane podkategorije so pozitivna naravnanost in samozaupanje, podpora okolice, informiranost in zdrav življenjski slog. Diskusija in zaključek: Anketiranke imajo pozitiven odnos do zdravja, zavedajo se, da za svoje zdravje lahko veliko storijo same. Izražena je potreba po večji informiranosti, zato je pomembno, da se aktivnosti diplomirane medicinske sestre v referenčni ambulanti razširijo tudi na področje svetovanja glede menopavze. Potrebne so nadaljnje raziskave na tem področju.
Maturitas, 1994
The symptoms and perceptions of menopause of 60 Australian women were studied, by questionnaire, when they were premenopausal and 10 years later when they were postmenopausal. Menopausal symptoms expected and experienced by the women were compared, fewer women experiencing hot flushes, headache, depression and nervousness and more experiencing insomnia, increase in appetite, abdominal fullness, numbness and muscular problems. The symptoms women thought were due to hormonal changes at menopause were compared. In 1993 more women cited osteoporosis, insomnia, loss of libido, obesity and loss of muscle tone as due to hormone change while fewer cited depression. The premenstrual symptoms and their severity experienced by a woman when she was premenopausal significantly predicts the type and severity of the menopausal symptoms experienced by the woman. The expected menopausal symptoms and their severity cited by a woman also significantly predicts the type of severity of the menopausal symptoms experienced. More premenstrual symptoms predict the menopausal symptoms than those menopausal symptoms the women expected. The expectation menopause will be 'a relief' or 'a nuisance' significantly predicted the overall menopause experience described by the women. Their negative attitudes about doctors' understanding and information available about menopause remained unchanged but they forget menstrual cycle problems over the 10 years. The results suggest a possible physiological basis for premenstrual and menopausal symptoms. Assistance for women with their premenstrual and menstrual cycle symptoms may improve their quality of life at menopause.
Women’s Experiences on Menopause: A Phenomenological Study
OUSL Journal, 2017
Menopause is the permanent termination of menstruation resulting specific symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbances, forgetfulness, vaginal dryness and weight gain. Women suffer from these symptoms because such symptoms affect their day-today life and finally lead to decrease in the quality of life. Therefore, it is pivotally important to study the experience of women during menopause. The aim of this study is to explore women's experiences of menopause. Purposively selected 20 women who experienced menopause were recruited for this qualitative phenomenological study at the Gynecological Section of the District General Hospital, Matale. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews conducted during a period of one month and data analysis was done using Colalizzi's analysis method. Four (04) themes emerged from the findings, which are: unbearable discomfort in the body, emotional instability and memory problems, problematic issues in family relationships, and increased expenditure for the treatments. Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, joint pain, vaginal dryness and weight gain were the physical experiences. Further, there were psychological experiences of menopause such as difficulties in making decisions, forgetfulness, fits of anger, mood swings and frustration. Moreover, women's menopausal experiences also affected their family life and economy. Women noted that
The Menopause Experience: A Woman's Perspective
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, <html_ent glyph="@amp;" ascii="&"/> Neonatal Nursing, 2002
Objective: To understand the complexities of the experience of menopause in American women from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The specific aims of this phenomenologic study were to (a) examine and interpret the reality of the menopausal transition as experienced by American women and (b) identify common elements and themes that occur as a result of the complexities of this experience. Design: Data for this qualitative study were gathered through semistructured interviews with 15 women who experienced natural menopause. Participants: A multiethnic sample of 15 menopausal American women in Massachusetts was selected from a pool of voluntary participants from the Boston area. Data Analysis: The interviews were analyzed to identify themes pertinent to the personal experience of menopause. Those themes, extracted from the similarities and differences described, represent broad aspects of these women's experiences. Results: Three major themes or phases were identified: expectations and realization, sorting things out, and a new life phase. Although some women expressed similar thoughts in particular categories, no two women had the same experience of menopause. Conclusions: The data support the premise that the experience of menopause in American women is unique to each individual and that the meaning or perspective differs among women. The data revealed the complexities of this human experience by explicating personal meanings related to experiences, expectations, attitudes, and beliefs about menopause.
A population based survey of women's experience of the menopause
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1996
Objectives To describe the prevalence of, and degree of distress caused by, 15 symptoms commonly attributed to the menopause among a random sample of women aged 45 to 54, selected from the total population of a geographically defined area. Design Postal questionnaire survey.
Background: The menopause is a time in a woman's life when it is recognized that biological and social changes can influence upon their quality of life. While most women traverse the menopausal transition (MT) with little difficulty, others may undergo significant stress. Purpose: The purpose of this review was to assess the literature concerning the menopausal symptoms experienced by women in various countries of the world. Review Methods: A database search was conducted in CINAHL, Pub Med, Google Scholar, and Medline for the period of 2007-2013 using specific term "menopause", "perimenopause", "menopause symptoms", "midlife and quality of life". A total of 15 studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria. Results: The results of the 15 studies reveals that the burden of menopausal symptoms on the life of midlife women in different parts of the world. From this review, it is evident that there is great diversity in symptom frequencies across the cultures and ways of coping adopted by these women. Conclusion: With appropriate counseling, health information and an understanding of the menopause and its dimensions, menopause can become a time of beginning, rather than an end.
2013
All women will experience menopause by the time they have reached mid life. So it is surprising that, in comparison with other female reproductive experiences such as menarche, pregnancy and childbirth, there is relatively little research from a psychological perspective. The main aims of this study were to explore how women make sense of the menopause, to assess which factors predict symptom severity and treatment utilisation and to explore how women's beliefs about menopause are located within their social context The study comprised three stages. Study 1 was a quantitative study with 149 women to develop new measures to assess women's beliefs. The new belief scales were incorporated into study 2 which was a larger study with 344 women recruited from the general population and from specialist menopause clinics. This study sought to identify the factors that predict symptom severity and treatment utilisation. The main analysis was with 295 women who were peri-and postmenopause. A range of validated scales were used and a treatment utilisation scale was created. Hierarchical multiple regression and structural equation modelling were used to identify predictors of symptom severity and treatment utilisation. A sub-sample of 30 women from study 2 went on to participate in study 3 which was a qualitative study designed to explore how beliefs about menopause influence symptom perception and decisions about treatment in the context of women's daily lives. Diaries were completed and used in interviews in study 3 to enable more accurate recall of the social context of menopause events. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Ninety one percent of the women in this study had sought treatment for menopause symptoms and the main predictors of treatment utilisation was symptom severity and the belief that menopause was a pathological illness. A key finding was that four social constructions of menopause were prevalent in this sample: menopause renders women invisible and unvalued, menopause is an illness that changes women, menopause is amenable to treatment with hormone therapy, and menopause is a temporary phase after which there is recovery. These four beliefs were significantly predictive of perceptions of symptom severity and of treatment utilisation. Furthermore, the social constructions mediated between symptom severity and different categories of treatment utilisation. Qualitative analysis revealed that women have inadequate knowledge of menopause and can be surprised and distressed by its onset, menopause is little talked of and is still 'taboo, menopause is regarded by women as a significant phenomenon that changes them but this is not often acknowledged publicly, women and clinicians have difficulty in making attributions to menopause and neither women nor clinicians are able to define 'normality' at menopause. These findings have major implications for how women interpret their symptoms, for how to manage the expectations of women in their 40s and 50s, and for how clinicians advise women at this stage of their life.
Menopause is a natural stage of aging: a qualitative study
BMC Women's Health
Background Menopause is a biopsychosocial phenomenon encompassing the transition in a woman’s life from being fertile to infertile. Although menopause may result in extremely unpleasant physical symptoms there is evidence of a low rate of reported menopausal symptoms amongst women in Asian cultures. Women’s experiences, views, and responses to menopause which influences women’s daily life and well-being, may vary between different societies and cultures. This study aimed to explore and describe menopausal experiences among women in Sri Lanka. Methods A qualitative exploratory research was conducted among postmenopausal women of 46–55 years of age in the western province of Sri Lanka. Individual interviews with a purposive sample of 20 women were conducted, and data analysis was done using manifest and latent content analysis. Results The results consist of an overall theme, “Menopause is a natural stage of aging” and three categories “Entering a new stage”, “Managing menopause” and ...