A population based survey of women's experience of the menopause (original) (raw)
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Assessment of Menopausal Symptoms among Middle Aged Women: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2022
Menopausal symptoms experienced by women are known to affect their quality-of-life. The symptoms experienced at menopause are quite variable and their etiology is found to be multifactorial. The objective is to determine the commonly reported menopausal symptoms among middle age women and to assess the pattern and severity of menopausal symptoms. Women in the age group of 40-65 years were included in the study by convenient sampling method. Out of 1000 respondents, the majority of the study subjects belonged to the 45-50 years of age group-400 (40%). Majority of women in the study were married-630 (63%), women who were educated up to high school were 340 (34%), 520 (52%) of women were homemakers. In the present study, it was observed that the study subjects who attained menopause were at the age of 45-50 years and it was observed in 480 respondents (48%). The most common symptoms reported were joint and muscular discomfort 960 (96%) and Physical and mental exhaustion 951(95%). However, Postmenopausal women had somatic 671 (95.7%), psychological 601 (85.7%) and urogenital 651 (92.8%) symptoms than perimenopausal and premenopausal women. The most prevalent menopausal symptoms in the present study were joint and muscular discomfort 960 (96%), followed by physical and mental exhaustion 951 (95%). Menopausal symptoms are common and cannot be ignored. It is therefore suggested that menopausal clinics needs to be established with in the current primary health care system. In order to focus attention to menopausal women and their needs.
Assessing menopausal symptoms among healthy middle aged women with the Menopause Rating Scale
Background: The frequency and intensity of menopausal symptoms within a given population, as assessed by several tools, vary and depend on several factors among them age, menopausal status, chronic conditions and socio-demographic profile. Objective: Determine the frequency and intensity of menopausal symptoms as well as associated risk factors among healthy middle aged Ecuadorian women. Design: In this cross-sectional study healthy women aged 40 or more, with intact uterus and ovaries, working at the Luis Vernaza Hospital, Guayaquil, Ecuador, were asked to fill out the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire. Symptom frequency and intensity, as well as obtained scores, were assessed and correlated to demographic data. Results: During the study period, 300 subjects were surveyed. Mean age was 45.1 ± 3.1 years (median 45). According to menopausal status women were premenopausal (40.6%); perimenopausal (48%) and postmenopausal (11.4%). A 62% of women were not sexually active and 8.3% had less than 12 years of schooling. The 5 most frequent symptoms of the 11 composing the MRS (n = 300) were: muscle and joint problems (77%), depressive mood (74.6%), sexual problems (69.6%), hot flushes (65.5%) and sleeping disorders (45.6%). In general, peri-and postmenopausal women significantly presented higher rates of menopausal symptoms when compared to premenopausal women. Total and subscale MRS scores significantly increased in relation to age and the menopausal stage. Women with lower educational level presented higher somatic and psychological scorings in comparison to their counterparts. Sexually inactive women presented higher total as well as somatic, psychological and urogenital scorings. Logistic regression analysis confirmed significant associations found during univariate analysis. Conclusion: In this specific healthy population, age, the menopause, sexual inactivity and educational level were independent risk factors predicting more severe menopausal symptoms.
Assessment of the menopausal symptoms of women by using the menopausal rating scale
International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2019
Background: Although menopause is a universal phenomenon, there is a considerable variation among women regarding the manifestation of menopausal signs and symptoms. Symptoms experienced with the menopausal transition and early post menopause are varied and span both physical and psychological domains. Therefore, a need is felt to evaluate menopausal symptoms on a pretested scale to provide a subjective and clinically reproducible picture of menopausal symptoms.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in MYH ,Indore Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, from July 2016 to December 2016.A pretested, semi structured, interview based, oral questionnaire was used to assess the menopausal symptoms and their severity in women of age group 35 to 65 years attending MYH, Indore OPD, using MRS scale and to evaluate these symptoms in perimenopausal as compared to postmenopausal women.Results: The results were evaluated for psychological (P), somatic (S), and urogenital (U) sy...
Menopausal Symptoms among Postmenopausal Women of a Selected Municipality: A Cross-sectional Survey
Journal of Nepal Medical Association, 2021
Introduction: Postmenopausal women experience various menopause-specific somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms which tend to affect their overall well-being. However, there is a scant focus on menopausal health problems of postmenopausal women in Nepal. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women of a Municipality. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in selected wards of Tokha Municipality of Kathmandu district among postmenopausal women aged 45-60 years from September to October 2019. Ethical approval was taken from the Ethical Review Board, Nepal Health Research Council (reference number 694). Random sampling was used as the sampling technique. Face-to-face interview was used for data collection while a semi-structured interview schedule including the Nepali version of Menopause Rating Scale was used as a tool for measuring menopausal symptoms. EpiData version 3.1 was used for data entry while data analysis was performed using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences version 20. Results: Amongst the postmenopausal women, all 203 (100%) had menopausal symptoms with majority reporting milder symptoms as found in 143 (70.4%). The mean Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) score was obtained as 13.21±5.1. The most prevalent moderate and mild symptoms were vaginal dryness 94 (46.3%), and depressive mood 71 (35%) respectively while physical and mental exhaustion 175 (86.2%) was the most common in all forms. Over half 102 (50.2%) of the respondents were unaware of menopausal symptoms and almost three-fifth 121 (59.6%) reported menopause related symptoms affected their daily work activities. Conclusions: The majority of postmenopausal women in this study had milder menopausal symptoms, which parallels findings from other national studies.
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.
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2003
The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and environmental factors on self-reported menopause-related symptoms among middle-aged Swedish women. STUDY DESIGN: Women who were born in the years 1935 to 1945 and who were living in the Lund area of southern Sweden were investigated. Each woman completed a generic questionnaire and underwent a personal interview that pertained to sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and current health-related problems. With these background factors, the frequency and intensity of hot flushes and vaginal dryness were determined; risk factor analysis was evaluated with the use of the multiple regression models. RESULTS: There were 6917 participants, with a response rate of 64%. A lower risk for hot flushes was related to older age, high education, and vigorous physical exercise. The major risk factors for vasomotor complaints were current weight gain, part-time employment, oophorectomy, unhealthy lifestyle, and concomitant health problems. Light smoking, late age of menopause, higher education, and excessive weight reduced the risk of vaginal dryness. However, older age, marriage, and chronic diseases negatively affected vaginal complaints. The background factors had less impact on symptoms in women who used hormone replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and concomitant health problems appear to be important modifiable determinants for menopause-related symptoms.
Maturitas, 2010
Prevalence Middle-aged women Finnish middle-aged women a b s t r a c t Background and aim of the study: The aim of this study is to report the prevalence of menopausal symptoms by severity among the Finnish female population and the association of their symptoms with lifestyle (smoking, use of alcohol, physical activity) and body mass index (BMI). Material and methods: Health 2000 is a nationally representative population-based study of Finnish adults. Data were collected by home interview, three self-administered questionnaires and a clinical examination by a physician. This study included women aged 45-64 years (n = 1427). All symptoms included menopause-specific symptoms. Both univariate analysis and a factor analysis based on symptom factors were performed by menopausal group. Multiple regression analysis included each symptom factor as a dependent variable and confounding and lifestyle factors (age, education, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, BMI, use of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and chronic disease status). Results: Over one-third (38%) of the premenopausal, half of the perimenopausal, and 54% of both postmenopausal and hysterectomized women reported bothersome symptoms. The difference between preand perimenopausal women was largest and statistically most significant in the case of back pain and hot flushes. Physically active women reported fewer somatic symptoms than did women with a sedentary lifestyle. Smoking was not related to vasomotor symptoms. Conclusion: Bothersome symptoms are common in midlife, regardless of menopausal status. Inverse association between physical activity and menopausal symptoms needs to be confirmed in randomized trials.
Influences of natural menopause on health complaints: A prospective study of healthy Norwegian women
Maturitas, 1992
As a continuation of a cross-sectional study in 1981 involving a representative sample of 1886 women between 45 and 55 years of age, 200 pre-menopausal subjects were selected randomly to take part in a follow-up study. Eighty-seven single measures covering 26 areas of health complaints which have been associated with the menopause in medical textbooks were investigated. A tentative method for relating health complaints at several time points to menopausal status is proposed. A significant number of women reported an increase in vasomotor complaints, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations and social dysfunction following the menopause, although many reported no change or even a reduction in these complaints. On the other hand, a decrease in headache and breast tenderness was noted. No significant differences were observed between the numbers of women reporting an increase or a decrease respectively on any of the other 69 measures (20 complaints), which included anxiety, depression and irritability. Further analyses indicated that the increase in social dysfunction was caused by hot flushes and sweating. This paper raises a number of issues regarding the methodology of longitudinal studies.
International journal of reproduction, contraception, obstetrics and gynecology, 2020
As per WHO (1996), there were an estimated 467 million women in peri-menopause state in 1990 and this number is expected to increase 1200 million by the year 2030. Out of these, 76% will be living in the developing countries. India has a large population which has already crossed the 1.2 billion mark with 72 million people over 60 years of age and the number of menopausal women being about 43 million. Average age of menopause is 47 years in Indian women with average life expectancy of 71 years.