Article

Experiences and perceptions of menopause among women in Ibadan South East Local Government Area, Nigeria

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Abstract

Menopausal experiences and perceptions of menopausal women in Ibadan South East Local Government Area were determined. A three-stage sampling technique was used to select the LGA, wards, and participants for the study. Eight Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted and a validated questionnaire was used to interview 240 participants aged between 46 to 69 years. Five questions were used to assess participants’ knowledge with each question attracting 1 point thus culminating to a maximum of 5 points. Data from the FGD were recorded on audio-tapes, transcribed and subjected to content analysis. Descriptive and Chi-square test statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The mean age of participants was 56.9 ± 6.2 years. The mean age at menopause was 46.1 ± 2.5 years. Eighty-five percent of participants had ever heard about menopause and the participants’ major source of information included close relatives (75.5%). The mean knowledge score for menopause using a 5-point scale was 2.8 ±1.0. Only 28.0% of the participants could state at least one symptom of menopause and 4.1% could list the risks associated with it. Fifty-four percent who scored above the mean knowledge score had positive attitude towards menopause regarding it as a natural occurrence. Seventy percent had the belief that sexual intercourse causes sickness for menopausal women. The belief of 60.8% of the participants was that women should not tell anyone about their menopausal experiences. Eighty-three percent had experienced at least one out of the 19 common symptoms of menopause. Discomforting experiences attributed to menopause included dryness of the vagina (81.3%), pain during intercourse (76.7%) and joint pains (74.2%). Only 32.9% took action to alleviate the discomforts. Actions taken included self-medication (47.4%), adoption of sexual abstinence (13.0%) among others Illnesses perceived to be associated with menopause included: fibroid (34.4%), weakness of the body (30.0%) and protruding stomach (18.0%). FGD revealed that many of the participants were of the opinion that sex should be avoided by menopausal women in order to prevent adverse effects associated with menopause. There are gaps in knowledge, wrong perceptions and use of inappropriate palliative measures regarding menopause among the participants. Public enlightenment and community-based patient education interventions are needed to address these challenges. © 2015, African Journal of Biomedical Research. All rights reserved.

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... J. Med. Sci., 18 (7): [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]2024 (PG/2014/08). The study included all women over 40 years of age who had lived in the selected rural area for more than a year and whose last menstrual cycle was regular and lasted no longer than five years. ...
... J. Med. Sci., 18 (7): [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]2024 menstrual cycle. This had forced her to go for consultation, where she was counselled about menopause which had made her more comfortable and accept the reality and move on with life. ...
... Similar results were shown in an FGD conducted at West Bengal and Nigeria [25,26] . Ibraheem et al. in their group discussion had studied that Nigerian women felt that all the changes that were taking place in their body were physiological and due to the aging process and menopause which was the similar finding in the present study [27] . ...
... Further findings showed that about three-quarters of the women still experience painful sexual intercourse. This is comparable to previous studies that reported pain as one of the most common problems among menopausal women [19,30,31] and another study that reported that about two-thirds of their study participants experienced pain during sexual intercourse [32]. This, however, goes contrary to the findings in a study where very few of their respondents (17.1%) reported experiencing pain during sexual intercourse [33]. ...
... This is further evident from the experiences of some women in the study who reported feeling distressed, worried, and anxious about their sexual lives. This could be due to the pain experienced during sexual activity and the belief that the deposition of sperm in the vagina of menopausal women can lead to disease [30]. ...
... Furthermore, this study found that about one-third of the menopausal women are not sexually active, and the majority of them gave a loss of interest in sexual activity as their reason. As noted by previous authors, sexual inactivity may be attributed to loss of interest, health issues, lack of partner's interest in sex, painful sexual experience, cultural or religious beliefs, loss of sexual partner or marital separation, and lack of concern about sexual life because of the belief that sexual activity is only meant for procreation [22,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Overall, about half of the respondents in a committed relationship in this study reported poor sexual health status. ...
Article
Objectives: This study aimed to assess sexual health status and associated factors in menopausal women. Methods: The study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design. It included 420 menopausal women aged 40-65 years from Ilesa West Local Government Area of Osun State. A structured questionnaire was used, and the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The mean age of the study respondents was 54.74 ± 5.49 years. A little over half (52.4%) of the respondents exhibited good sexual health status, whereas 47.6% had poor sexual health status. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lack of financial resources (P = 0.01; odds ratio [OR], 4.00; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.45-11.02), loss of partner (P = 0.01; OR, 9.18; 95% CI, 2.89-29.09), and limited communication with partner (P = 0.01; OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.51-6.46) were predictors of poor sexual health status. Conclusions: This study provides insight into the determinants of the sexual health status of menopausal women, which may help health care providers and policymakers develop effective strategies to improve the sexual health of menopausal women.
... This could have been due to a culture of silence around the sexuality of older women, a taboo topic in rural communities, which may have interfered with an honest reporting of urogenital symptoms such as decreased sexual desire and vaginal dryness. According to the study done by Ibraheem et al. in Nigeria, urogenital symptoms such as dryness of the vagina (81.3%), pain during intercourse (76.7%) [17] which is very different to our study findings, the low reporting of urogenital, and sexual symptoms in our study may be due to a culture of silence that surrounds topics dealing with sex and sexuality, especially among rural Indian women. [17] The median MRS score in our study was found to be low, since most of the participants reported mild or moderate, rather than severe symptoms, which could be attributed to the unique sociocultural setting of a rural area, where social status often increases with age, and positive attitudes toward aging may reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms. ...
... According to the study done by Ibraheem et al. in Nigeria, urogenital symptoms such as dryness of the vagina (81.3%), pain during intercourse (76.7%) [17] which is very different to our study findings, the low reporting of urogenital, and sexual symptoms in our study may be due to a culture of silence that surrounds topics dealing with sex and sexuality, especially among rural Indian women. [17] The median MRS score in our study was found to be low, since most of the participants reported mild or moderate, rather than severe symptoms, which could be attributed to the unique sociocultural setting of a rural area, where social status often increases with age, and positive attitudes toward aging may reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms. This is substantiated by the largely positive perception of the majority of women in our study who accept that menopause is something that all women have to go through, and it is freedom from menstruation. ...
... This finding is aligned with a recently published pooled analysis of six cohort studies in the USA, UK, and Australia, which found that higher risk of vasomotor symptoms was associated with early menarche; this association was exacerbated in the presence of overweight and obesity. [17] Higher MRS score among our study participants was also associated with higher BMI. This could be due to the effect of increased adiposity on follicular-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen levels which worsen the symptoms of menopause. ...
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Background: There is a culture of silence around menopause in India, more so among rural women. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, factors associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms, and perceptions regarding menopause among rural perimenopausal women. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural hospital, among women aged 40 years or more, having experienced at least one menstrual cycle in the past 1 year. Structured interview schedule was administered to capture perceptions of menopause. Symptoms of menopause and severity were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and participants screened for depression using patient health questionnaire-9. Results: Among 200 women, the prevalence of symptoms of menopause was 70%. Commonly reported symptoms were somatic symptoms: Joint/muscular pain, hot flushes, and psychological symptoms: Physical/mental exhaustion, anxiety. Median overall MRS score was low (4 [interquartile range = 1, 7]), pointing out to lesser severity. Significant association was found between MRS score and higher body mass index (P = 0.007), tobacco-chewing (P = 0.023), and depression (P < 0.001). Perception of menopause was generally positive, but we also documented some myths and misconceptions regarding menopause that indicate a need for health awareness in this population. Conclusion: This study found high prevalence but low severity of menopausal symptoms. Our findings point to a need for mitigating symptoms of menopause through diet, physical activity, tobacco cessation, and counseling for depression. Targeted interventions using community women's groups and village-level health workers are recommended to provide not only awareness regarding menopause but also an opportunity to screen for comorbidities with appropriate referrals.
... However, majority of the menopausal women in this study frequently experience muscle or joint aches (55.30%) which is in agreement with other studies carried out in Asian countries 22 , but higher than value reported in a similar study performed in Yemen (9.8%) 16 , and lower than those recorded in Saudi Arabia (83.9%-96.1%) 18 , Malaysia (80.1%) 23 , Ibadan, Nigeria (74%) 24 and Ethiopia (65.9%) 25 . In addition, less than half of the participants (32%) complained about feeling lack of energy, which was lower than that reported from Makkah, SA (61.3%) 26 . ...
... In addition, less than half of the participants (32%) complained about feeling lack of energy, which was lower than that reported from Makkah, SA (61.3%) 26 . Also observed, (24%) reported flatulence or gas pain and (25%) mentioned feeling bloated, while (21.80%) reported frequent urination which is similar to a finding in Ibadan, Nigeria (18.3%) 24 . This study also revealed that very few participants reported they experience weight gain (1%) and increased facial hair (0.50%) which are lower than the value recorded by a study conducted in West Bengal, India (5%) 27 . ...
... Furthermore, 35.10% reported night sweating as a menopausal symptom which is similar to the finding of a study performed in Northern India (36%) 28 . However, this result is lower than that reported in Abha, SA (80.7%) 17 , but higher than that of a study conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria (18%) 24 . Vasomotor symptoms are generally associated with hormonal changes during menopause periods; hence this disparity is due to hereditary or socio-cultural diversity 27 . ...
Article
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ABSTRACT Background: Menopause is a physiological phenomenon that can strongly affect the quality of life (QOL) of women. Objectives: To analyzes the menopausal associated symptoms among contributors and their effect on quality of life. To also investigate sociodemographic factors affecting QOL. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 188 perimenopause and menopausal Yemeni women selected randomly from outpatient clinics of the main public hospitals in Sana'a, Yemen. Data was acquired using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire. Results: The mean age at menopause was found to be 47±3.4. The majority of participants were postmenopausal (71.27 %), and (71.80 %) were married. The most prevalent symptoms were aching muscles and joints (55%), dissatisfaction with personal life (37.7%), night sweat (35%) and avoidance of intimacy (30%). The total scores of menopausal quality of life for each MENQOL domain revealed that the maximum mean score was recorded for physical domain (42.81± 17.87), followed by psychosocial (14.11±5.72), then sexual (6.93±2.46), and finally vasomotor domain (4.78±3.10). Conclusion: The physical and psychosocial domains had upper mean MENQOL scores than vasomotor and sexual domains. There is a need to educate women about menopause and its symptoms and the need to seek medical advice from specialists and find a center for that. Key words: Menopausal symptoms, Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Quality of life (QOL), Yemeni women.
... This makes them bewildered, stressed, and confused when they start to suffer from these. Women may think that these symptoms are ominous signs of illness or even voodoo attacks [3]. This is made worse as these symptoms usually occur before the cessation of menses, so sufferers do not readily associate them with the menopause. ...
... Traditionally, Nigerian women often abstain from sexual intercourse after the menopause [1][2][3]. This may be partly due to climacteric symptoms like loss of libido and dyspareunia but is also largely influenced by cultural beliefs. ...
... This may be partly due to climacteric symptoms like loss of libido and dyspareunia but is also largely influenced by cultural beliefs. Local beliefs include the notion that menstrual flow "cleanses" the woman, and, in the absence of menses, if she has sex, these impurities will cause illness in her [3]. ...
Article
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Background . Menopause is the expected end of reproductive life. Having a positive attitude towards it has been shown to result in a positive experience, while a negative attitude is associated with negative experiences and symptoms. Traditionally, women often abstain from sex after menopause. The study aimed to determine the level of awareness and perceptions about the menopause and sex in perimenopausal women attending a general outpatient clinic. Methods . Women over 40 years were recruited from the Family Medicine Department of University College Hospital, excluding those who were menopausal. Data analyses were done with chi-square test ( p<0.05 ). Results . Most (302; 86.4%) of the 352 surveyed participants were aware of the menopause. Only 36.1% anticipated associated symptoms. About half (55.7%) were indifferent to menopause onset, while 23% had a positive attitude and 21.4% had a negative attitude, respectively. Younger women were less likely to have a positive attitude to the menopause ( p=0.04 ). There were negative cultural beliefs towards sex. Sexual activity was low and declined with age ( p<0.001 ). Many women would like treatment to improve their sexual activity. Conclusion . Most participants had a favourable disposition towards the menopause, though sexual relationships suffer. Counselling and treatment should be offered.
... Such local beliefs include the notion that menstrual flow cleanses a woman, and in the absence of menses, having sex will make impurities that are usually washed away by menses to accumulate in her which may lead to illness [34]. This makes some Nigerian women to often abstain from sexual intercourse after menopause [34]. ...
... Such local beliefs include the notion that menstrual flow cleanses a woman, and in the absence of menses, having sex will make impurities that are usually washed away by menses to accumulate in her which may lead to illness [34]. This makes some Nigerian women to often abstain from sexual intercourse after menopause [34]. Some of the women that abstain from sex did so because they acquire information related to sexual activities during menopause from older women or friends in the community. ...
Article
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Background: Menopause has been associated with decline in sexual well-being among women. The quality of sexual interactions in heterosexual relationship are increasingly being considered as an important indicator of positive health and quality of life. Objectives: This article describes the sexual health status of menopausal women and the challenges preventing them from having a fulfilling sexual life. Method: This was an exploratory qualitative interview. Seventeen (17) menopausal women were interviewed individually and face-to-face using semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. Results: The analysis yielded two themes for sexual health status; (a) good sexual health status and (b) poor sexual health status. Majority of the study participants claimed to have poor sexual health status. The challenges to having a fulfilling sexual life yielded four themes; (a) fear (b) lack of sexual partner (c) ageing process and (c) being breadwinner of the family. Conclusion: The study concludes that majority of the women in the study have poor sexual health status and diverse challenges to having a fulfilling sexual life. This article offers a premise for healthcare providers to see the necessity to inquire about sexual health from post-reproductive age women and to provide necessary support that can help improve their sexual health.
... The mean age of menopause onset in our study participants was 45 years. Similar mean age of menopause onset was reported in studies conducted in Ethiopia, which was 44.74 [12] and that of Nigeria which was 46.1 [13] . Another related study [14] in Ethiopia also reported that the mean age was 44.18 years. ...
... Regarding the educational background, about half of the participants in our study completed high school and above. In contrary, in a study conducted in Nigeria [13] , more than half of the participants had no formal education. The difference in educational level could be attributed to study setting, that is our study was conducted in the capital city Asmara, allowing more educated women to participate. ...
Article
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Objective The authors tried to identify women’s level of awareness about menopausal symptoms and the measures they take to relieve the menopausal symptoms in selected areas of Asmara, Eritrea. Methodology A cross-sectional study design was utilized from November 1 to 21, 2018. Data about menopausal symptoms and the relieving measures taken were collected using a pretested questionnaire from 180 selected women from Asmara College of Health Sciences and Public Transportation of Zoba Maekel. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify associations of demographic variables with level of awareness using SPSS (Version 22.0). Results More than half of the study participants (56%) were between the age group of 40 and 45 and the mean age at which menopause had started was 45 years. About 52% of them reached menopause out of whom more than half (56%) were not aware of menopausal symptoms. The main menopausal symptoms mentioned were absence of periods (34.4%), followed by irritability (32.8%) and hot flashes (27.8%). About seven-tenth of the participants (68.3%) did not take any action to relive the menopausal symptoms. Women with higher level of education [adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.12 (1.07, 3.96)], who were from a nuclear family [adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.65 (0.76, 3.23)] were having a significantly better level of awareness about menopause and its symptoms. Conclusion Majority of the women were not aware of the menopausal symptoms and the measures that should be taken. Appropriate actions to increase women’s awareness level regarding menopause should be incorporated as a critical aspect in promoting women’s health.
... Menopause is a natural physiological process in a woman's life. It results from a lack of oestrogen secretion from ovarian follicles, leading to the absence of menstruation [12,13]. A woman is labelled as 'postmenopausal' when she misses her periods for 12 months consecutively [14,15]. ...
... Women's perceptions of menopause are influenced by various factors, including their cultural, social and educational background and emotional and physical health [12,16]. Existing studies have found that sociocultural factors can affect women's attitude, perceptions and experiences towards menopause [7,8,13,17,18]. In societies where menopause is viewed positively, symptoms are less common. Numerous studies of Western and Asian women, including Japanese and Chinese women, have documented the cultural aspects of menopause [7,8,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. ...
Article
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Background Various factors, including menopausal status, educational and social background, culture, and physical and emotional health, may influence women’s perceptions of menopause. This study documents the elements influencing attitudes towards menopause among women in Sarawak, Malaysia. Methods A face-to-face interview using a validated questionnaire was conducted with 324 Sarawakian women aged 40–65 to determine the mean age of menopause and perceptions and experiences of menopause among these women. Results The mean age ± standard deviation of the women was 51.37 ± 5.91 years. Ninety (27.8%) participants were premenopausal, 124 (38.5%) perimenopausal and 110 (33.7%) postmenopausal. The majority of these women (228; 70.4%) were local indigenous inhabitants of Sarawak. The findings show that 22.5% of the participants agreed that problems during menopause are a natural process. While 21.9% of the participants suggested that menopause should be treated medically, 32.3% argued that natural approaches for menopause symptoms are better than hormonal treatments. Seventy-five per cent of the women agreed that the absence of menses after menopause is a relief; meanwhile, 61.2% stated that menopause causes unpleasant symptoms. Notably, 51.7% were not sure whether women become less sexually attractive after menopause, and 51.1% were uncertain as to whether they feel less of a woman following menopause. Finally, 81.7% of participants were unsure if sexual activity is more enjoyable after menopause, and 71.9% were uncertain whether changes in life during menopause are more stressful. Among the different menopausal stages, the premenopausal group of women were noted to have more positive perceptions of menopause compared to the peri- and postmenopausal women. The study also observed that women with a better educational background generally had more positive perceptions of menopause. Conclusions The women’s perceptions of menopause in this study were found to correspond to those in other studies on Asian women. Women with higher levels of education and premenopausal women comparatively expressed more positive opinions regarding menopause. Lastly, most of the women noted that menopausal symptoms are unpleasant, but that the absence of menses after menopause is a relief.
... The climacteric symptoms vary from vasomotor, physical, psychological to sexual dysfunction. [11][12][13][14][15] Women's perception of menopause is in uenced by various factors including cultural, social background, educational, emotional and physical health. It is noted in previous studies, sociocultural factors can affect women's attitude, perception and experience towards menopause. ...
... Changing women's views about menopause by knowledge empowerment may cause less emotional distress among them. [12,16,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Little has been said and viewed on the perception of Malaysian women on menopause and no studies have been conducted among women in Sarawak, Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring these women perceptions on menopause. ...
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Background: Various factors including menopausal status, educational and social background, culture, physical and emotional health may influence women’s perception about menopause. This study is to document the perception of menopause and factors influencing it among women in Sarawak, Malaysia. Methods: A face-to-face interview using a validated questionnaire was conducted with 324 Sarawakian women aged 40-65 years to determine the mean age of menopause and perception of menopause among these women. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation of the women was 51.37 ± 5.91 years. 90 (27.8%) were premenopausal, 124 (38.5%) perimenopausal and 110 (33.7%) postmenopausal. Majority of these women 228 (70.4%) were local indigenous women of Sarawak. 22.5% agreed problem in menopause is a natural process. 21.9% of the participants agreed menopause should be treated medically. 32.3% of them agreed natural approaches for menopause symptoms are better than hormonal. 75.0% agreed absence of menses after menopause is a relief; 61.2% agreed menopause causes unpleasant symptoms; 51.7% were not sure either women become less sexually attractive after menopause; 51.1% were not sure if they feel less of a woman following menopause. 81.7% of the women were not sure if sexual activity is more enjoyable after menopause and 71.9% of them were uncertain whether changes in life during menopause are more stressful. Among the different menopausal stages; perimenopausal group of women were noted to have more positive perception compared to the pre and postmenopausal women. In this study it was noted, women with higher educational background generally have a better and positive perception on menopause. Conclusions: The perception of menopause in this study were found to be correspond to those in other studies on Asian women. Better educational level and perimenopausal women were found to have more positive perception on menopause compared to the rest of the women studied. Majority of the women noted that menopausal symptoms is unpleasant and absence of menses after menopause is a relief.
... [7] Most menopausal women do not know about the risks associated with menopause, as they regard some unrelated factors as the cause of most illnesses that occur in women after menopause. [8] Many women in southwestern Nigeria do nothing about the symptoms they experienced, [8] while those who made any attempt tried remedies that are self recommended. The need to ensure that the health needs of menopausal women are addressed is thus i8mperative. ...
... [7] Most menopausal women do not know about the risks associated with menopause, as they regard some unrelated factors as the cause of most illnesses that occur in women after menopause. [8] Many women in southwestern Nigeria do nothing about the symptoms they experienced, [8] while those who made any attempt tried remedies that are self recommended. The need to ensure that the health needs of menopausal women are addressed is thus i8mperative. ...
... In the South African context, older women who continued to engage in sex in menopause would develop some abdominal problems and illnesses that could not be medically explained (Ramakuela et al., 2014). Similar misconceptions have also been reported by Ibraheem, Oyewole, and Olaseha (2015) in a mixed method study in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria. The study consisted of eight focus group discussions and 245 survey respondents among women aged 46 to 69 years. ...
... Results from the quantitative component of the study showed the existence of positive attitudes toward menopause among about 50% of the respondents. Nonetheless, more than two-thirds held the view that menopausal women were prone to sickness when they have sex (Ibraheem et al., 2015). The misconceptions around menopause and sexual activities were further confirmed in the qualitative findings, as most of the participants felt sexual intercourse when possible sometimes could lead to some strange sicknesses. ...
Article
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This article explores older peoples’ perceptions of menopause and sexuality in old age. The research was exploratory, consisting of 12 vignette-based focus group discussions and 18 face-to-face semistructured interviews among older Yoruba men and women (60+). Findings revealed menopause as a biopsychosocial marker of aging that provides gendered spaces for women to abstain from or suppress their sexual desires and avoid a folk pregnancy- oyun iju(folk fibroid). Older men construe menopause and sexual refusals from their wives as opportunities for extramarital relations. Thus, both older men and women have differentiated perceptions and dispositions toward menopause, which have implications for their sexual health and well-being.
... While the finding contradicts the findings of other studies, such as the studies by Ochan et al. (2018), Abolfotouh et al. (2017), andPhilibert et al (2014), who found that females were more satisfied than males. In addition, the finding contradicts other studies that found no effect of gender on patient satisfaction, such as the research by Ibraheem et al. (2015) and Ibraheem et al (2013). This result coincides with the theoretical evidence that gender is an inconsistent predictor of patient satisfaction, but the general trend is that females are less likely to be satisfied with health services than male patients. ...
Article
Patient satisfaction is a crucial component and major indicator of health care services quality. Therefore, evaluating patient satisfaction with visits to primary health care centers (PHCCs) is crucial for determining the quality of health care services provided. This study aimed to measure the level of satisfaction of patients with medical care and services received in Amman's primary health care facilities (PHCCs). The questionnaire including the subscales of “satisfaction with the services and features of PHCCs,” “satisfaction with the services of the medical staff and employees at PHCCs,” and “satisfaction with the cost of services provided at PHCCs,” was used in this study on 385 patients who visited the primary health care centers in Amman. All analyses in the study were carried out using Microsoft Office Excel, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The variables affecting Amman patients' satisfaction were analyzed using a binary regression analysis model. The results were shown as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and were deemed significant when the P-value was less than 0.05. The results of the study indicated that (77.6%) of patients were satisfied with the PHCCs services. The subscale of satisfaction with the services of the medical staff and employees at PHCCs received a rating of (80.4%) compared to (78.8%) for satisfaction with the cost of services provided at the PHCCs, and (75.4%) for satisfaction with the services and features of the PHCCs. Male participants were more satisfied with PHCCs services compared to females (P = 0.012 and 95% CI= .26, .84). Employed participants were also more satisfied with PHCCs services (P = 0.031 and 95% CI = 1.06, 3.71). The findings of this study will be valuable for policymakers and strategic planners, providing them with direct insights into the key areas that should be prioritized to provide the best possible health care for the beneficiaries.
... The hypothesis was accepted after the statistical test of association was carried out. The findings of this present study were in line with the study carried out in Ibadan Nigeria by Ibraheem, Oyewole, and Olaseha (2015); Adekunle, Fawole, and Okunlola (2000) who also found n significant association between knowledge of women and their help seeking behaviors. Despite that their study was carried out among women already in their menopausal stages and that almost all of them had a good knowledge of menopause, the women were seen not to seek for help as they believed it is a normal aging symptom in their life. ...
Article
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The menopausal years is a very important phase in a woman's life and it is of good benefit to the women who engage in help seeking behaviors so as to be able to cope well with the phase. The purpose of this study was to see the knowledge and help seeking behaviors among female staffs working in the hall of residence at a selected university in Ogun state. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Babcock University on 102 female staffs who worked in the halls of residence. Total enumeration was used and purposive sampling method was used to select participants. A self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The research instrument was validated by experts of Nursing Science and Tests & Measurement. Reliability of the instrument was ascertained through test re-test and it was found to be reliable. Descriptive statistics were used to answer the research questions while inferential statistics of chi-square and correlation were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The finding revealed 35% of the women had low knowledge while 65% of them had very high knowledge of menopause. Also, it was discovered that 82% of the respondents have low help seeking behavior while only 18% had high help seeking behavior. This could be as a result of the response of the respondents where 71% of the respondents reported that they do not believe in seeking help as Menopause is a natural aging process. Many of the respondents, about 74% had low effect of menopause on daily activities while only 26% had high effects on daily activity. Mostly the women whose menopause symptoms do affect their daily activities do so ECRTD-UK: https://www.eajournals.org/ Journal level DOI: https://doi.org/10.37745/ijphpp.15 with their families and homes. The study also showed that there is no significant association between knowledge and help seeking behavior (r =-0.093, p>0.05) and there is no significant association between knowledge and the effects of menopause on daily activities (Chi (2.196), p>0.05). (r =0.148, p>0.05). It was recommended among others that health organizations and health workers need to improve their awareness efforts to include mainstream media and social media to help women have a better understanding of menopause symptoms.
... Women in South Africa described how discussion around the menopause is often viewed as taboo and as such, there is limited information and support available (Ramakuela et al. 2014;Makuwa et al. 2015). Researchers have highlighted the need for further information and advice about the menopause for sub-Saharan African women (Makuwa et al. 2015;Ibraheem et al. 2015;Ikeme et al. 2011). Work to date includes only a small number of contexts in sub-Saharan Africa, but together, the body of work highlights the diversity of experiences alongside a need for information, such that any information must account for context. ...
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Women in sub-Saharan Africa report multiple impacts of menopause on daily life and have requested further information to support themselves. This study co-produced contextually relevant resources—booklets and poster—about menopause with women in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The study was conducted in four stages: interviews with women about the menopause; the development of prototype information resources; workshops with women to discuss country-specific resources; and the refinement of resources. During the interviews, women explained that they had not received or accessed much information about the menopause and thought the physical and psychological issues associated with the menopause had to be “endured”. Prototype information resources comprised booklets and a poster with contextually relevant images and information. Workshop participants suggested several changes, including the addition of more diverse images and further information about treatments. The resources were refined, translated into several African languages, and endorsed by the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe and the South African Menopause Society in South Africa. Women will be able to access resources through healthcare clinics, community groups and churches. Working with women and other stakeholders enabled a development that was cognisant of experiences and needs. Work is now needed to improve access to treatments and support for menopause to reduce health inequities.
... This is further corroborated by Alhusban and Abualrub, [41] and Zarzycka, et al. [42] in their separate submission. However, Ibraheem, et al. [43,44] posited that there is no gender influence on patient's satisfaction. ...
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... Study participation was volunteered; the confidentiality and anonymity were assured. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) In order to verify the validity and reliability of Arabic version of the questionnaire, the researcher has distributed it to academic reviewers and other experts in the psychology field, to take their opinions, and rewording of some paragraphs, and make the required modifications to measure the content validity. ...
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... The mean age at menarche in our locality is 13.5years while that of menopause ranges from 44-56 years [32,33]. Menopause is associated with a decline in ovarian function-the major source of estrogen [34]. From the foregoing, it follows that more than 68.8% of patients in this study are within the reproductive age group. ...
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Background: Endometriosis is defined by the presence of endometrial like glands and stroma without the endometrium and myometrium. It is an estrogen dependent condition and affects 6-10% of females commonly during their reproductive age. Theories have evolved to explain the mechanism of development of this disease whose etiology is largely unknown. It affects a wide range of organs and could present with symptoms.. Corresponding patient data such as age, sex, symptoms, and anatomical site of lesion were obtained from case files and surgical pathology records and analyzed. Archived slides and re-cut slides from tissue blocks were reviewed. Results: Thirty-two (32) cases of endometriosis were diagnosed at the Jos University Teaching Hospital during the study period. The age range was 25-58 years and the mean was 38.0 +8.8 years. The ovary recorded 8 cases accounting for 25% of cases, being the commonest anatomical site involved. Thirteen (40.6%) affected women were infertile. Conclusion: Endometriosis in our locality is more frequently located in the ovary and a relatively high percentage of this disease is associated with infertility. We recommend that endometriosis be considered in the management of patients with ovarian disease and infertility in our locality.
... [8] The experience of menopause is often shaped by beliefs inherent in cultural practices invariably interwoven with social status, sex role, and state of health. [9] Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is infrequently used by Nigerian women who seldomly present to health facilities with menopausal complaints and this has been linked to a better sociocultural environment resulting in better adjustment to perceived menopausal symptoms. [10] There are several emerging studies about menopause in African women. ...
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... This is perhaps unsurprising given the wide geographical area covered by this study, encompassing many different cultures. The results must therefore be interpreted carefully.Although women experience menopause in a universal manner due to decline in ovarian function leading to different menopausal symptoms, the actual experiences of the most common symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and low libido are individual[6] [13][14] [25][26]. Menopausal women may also experience challenges such as: anxiety, poor-self-image, low self-esteem, sleep-K. ...
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Menopause considers an important period of female's life, in which women shifting from reproductive to non-reproductive stage. Many women reach menopause without sufficient knowledge about expected problems and dealing with solving these problems. Therefore, proper knowledge is very imperative during this period toward menopausal symptoms .The aim of current study was to assess the level of women's knowledge regarding symptoms of menopause. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out from the period 25th September 2016 to 18 August 2017. The sampling selected by non-probable (purposive) consisted of (150) women with age ranging from (45-60) years that women attending to primary health care PHC centers of AL-Najaf City, Iraq. An instrument prepared and developed in order to evaluate women's knowledge regarding symptoms that associated with menopause. The instrument consisted of three main parts, the first part contains socio-demographical data the second part consists of clinical data about reproductive health history and medical and surgical history. The third part contains questions about symptoms (15 items) to evaluate women's knowledge. The results showed that the most (42%) of participated women in the study with age (45-49) years. Married women were the majority (70%) of them. Majority of women (43.3%) enrolled in this study they were unable to read & write. The highest percentage (90.7%) for women was housewives. majority of women (81.3%) had menarche at age ≥12years. Furthermore, highest of them (96%) had regular menstrual cycle. Regarding the number of pregnancies, was (45.3%) of women pregnant for 8 times and more. As for contraceptive use was pills method get (51.35%) of percentage among other methods. Also the results shows vast majority of participants who had not medical history of Diabetes Mellitus, Heart disease and Hypertension (97.3%, 96.7% and 84% respectively). On the other hand, (94%) of them were free of gynecological surgery. According to the present results, the overall assessment of participant's knowledge regarding menopausal symptoms was fair (2.31). The current study was concluded that the women's knowledge was fair toward menopausal symptoms. Moreover, information of participants was superficial and slight about this period. The study recommends to conducting teaching programs about menopausal symptoms to enhancing knowledge. Also conducting periodically assessment and to conducted studies regarding women's knowledge and attitude about menopause.
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Menopause considers an important period of female's life, in which women shifting from reproductive to non-reproductive stage. Many women reach menopause without sufficient knowledge about expected problems and dealing with solving these problems. Therefore, proper knowledge is very imperative during this period toward menopausal symptoms .The aim of current study was to assess the level of women's knowledge regarding symptoms of menopause. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out from the period 25th September 2016 to 18 August 2017. The sampling selected by non-probable (purposive) consisted of (150) women with age ranging from (45-60) years that women attending to primary health care PHC centers of AL-Najaf City, Iraq. An instrument prepared and developed in order to evaluate women's knowledge regarding symptoms that associated with menopause. The instrument consisted of three main parts, the first part contains socio-demographical data the second part consists of clinical data about reproductive health history and medical and surgical history. The third part contains questions about symptoms (15 items) to evaluate women's knowledge. The results showed that the most (42%) of participated women in the study with age (45-49) years. Married women were the majority (70%) of them. Majority of women (43.3%) enrolled in this study they were unable to read & write. The highest percentage (90.7%) for women was housewives. majority of women (81.3%) had menarche at age ≥12years. Furthermore, highest of them (96%) had regular menstrual cycle. Regarding the number of pregnancies, was (45.3%) of women pregnant for 8 times and more. As for contraceptive use was pills method get (51.35%) of percentage among other methods. Also the results shows vast majority of participants who had not medical history of Diabetes Mellitus, Heart disease and Hypertension (97.3%, 96.7% and 84% respectively). On the other hand, (94%) of them were free of gynecological surgery. According to the present results, the overall assessment of participant's knowledge regarding menopausal symptoms was fair (2.31). The current study was concluded that the women's knowledge was fair toward menopausal symptoms. Moreover, information of participants was superficial and slight about this period. The study recommends to conducting teaching programs about menopausal symptoms to enhancing knowledge. Also conducting periodically assessment and to conducted studies regarding women's knowledge and attitude about menopause.
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The occurrences and timing of reproduction-related events, such as menarche, first birth, and menopause, play major roles in a woman's life. There is a lack of comparative information on the overall patterns of the ages at and the timing between these events among different populations of the world. This study describes the variability in reproductive factors across populations in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The study sample consisted of 18,997 women from 13 centers in 11 countries interviewed between 1979 and 1988 who comprised the control group in a World Health Organization international, multicenter case-control study of female cancers. All were surveyed with the same questionnaire and methodology. Overall, a typical woman in this study reached menarche at age 14 years and delivered her first live child 8 years later, at age 22. She was 50 years old at natural menopause and had had 36 years of reproductive life. The median ages at menarche varied across centers from 13 to 16 years. For all centers, the median age at first livebirth was 20 or more years, with the largest observed median (25 years) occurring in China. The median delay from menarche to first livebirth ranged from 5 to 11 years. Among the centers, the median age at natural menopause ranged between 49 and 52 years. In most populations, younger women had a first birth at a later age than did older women. This tendency was more accentuated in some populations. These results reveal, perhaps for the first time, the variability of reproductive histories across different populations in a large variety of geographic and cultural settings. Except for menopause, international variability is substantial for both biologically related variables (age at menarche) and culturally related variables (age at first birth). There is a generational effect, characterized by more variability of age at first birth and delay to first birth in the younger than in the older generations. Am J Epidemiol 1998;148:1195–1205.
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This paper presents findings from the Massachusetts Women's Health Study (MWHS), one of the largest population-based studies of mid-aged women. A longitudinal study that followed a population-based cohort of women as they proceeded through menopause, the MWHS's goal was to describe their responses and to identify health-related, life-style, and other social factors that affect this transition. Findings indicate that natural menopause appears to have no major impact on health or health behavior. The majority of women do not seek additional help concerning menopause, and their attitudes toward it are, overwhelmingly, positive or neutral. Physicians treating mid-aged women must be careful not to confuse "menopausal" symptoms with indicators of underlying disease or conditions unrelated to menopause.
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The purpose of this study was to review published studies on the variability of age at menarche and age at menopause throughout the world, and to identify the main causes for age variation in the timing of these events. We first present a summary table including mean (or median) values of the age at menarche in 67 countries, and of the age at menopause in 26 countries. General linear models showed that mean age at menarche was strongly linked to the mean female life expectancy, suggesting that one or several variables responsible for inequalities in longevity similarly influenced the onset of menarche. A closer examination of the data revealed that among several variables reflecting living conditions, the factors best explaining the variation in age at menarche were adult illiteracy rate and vegetable calorie consumption. Because adult illiteracy rate has some correlation with the age at which children are involved in physical activities that can be detrimental in terms of energy expenditure, our results suggest that age at menarche reflects more a trend in energy balance than merely nutritional status. In addition, we found the main determinant of age at menopause to be the mean fertility. This study thus suggests that, on a large scale, age at menarche is mainly determined by extrinsic factors such as living conditions, while age at menopause seems to be mainly influenced by intrinsic factors such as the reproductive history of individuals. Finally, these findings suggest that human patterns cannot be addressed solely by traditional, small-scale investigations on single populations. Rather, complementary research on a larger scale, such as this study, may be more appropriate in defining some interesting applications to the practical problems of human ecology.
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The age of menopause and the clinical features of menopause were investigated by questionnaire survey in 563 Nigerian women of Yoruba descent who have been menopausal for at least 5 years. The mean and median ages of menopause were 48.4 and 48.0 years, respectively. No relationship could be established between menopausal age and various biosocial factors such as age of menarche, social class, parity, smoking and place of residence. The commonest menopause related symptoms were joint pains and hot flush and only 42% of them still practiced sexual intercourse. These findings when compared to those from other populations indicate that there is need for more work on menopause in Nigerian women.
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A reproductive health approach recognizes that the foundations of women's health are laid in childhood and adolescence, and are influenced by factors such as nutrition, education, sexual roles and social status, cultural practices, and the socioeconomic environment. Reproductive health care strategies to meet women's multiple needs include education for responsible and healthy sexuality, safe and appropriate contraception, and services for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, delivery, and abortion.
Article
In an attempt to gather data on the menopause in Malaysia, 400 women (13% Chinese, 70% Malays and 16% Indians), representing the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia, were interviewed. The majority (76%) of these women were still married and living with their husbands and 63% of them were working. Most of them (90%) had attained menarche by the age of 15 years and 50% of them had married before the age of 20. Their reproductive record was good, since 76% of them had 3 or more children who were still alive. The mean age at menopause in the Malaysian women studied was 50.7 years. Analysis of the climacteric symptoms reported showed significant differences in the vasomotor and nervosity indices in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Eighty percent (80%) of the women saw no need to consult a doctor about their climacteric symptoms. When they did, most of them (84%) received medication, but 43% of them did not comply with the prescribed treatment. Dyspareunia and urinary incontinence were evidently regarded as embarrassing complaints in all three groups, since around 80% of the women did not seek medical advice. This is not surprising in view of the fact that 89% of them rated their health as good.
Article
Evolutionary biologists classify theories of menopause as either: 1) adaptive, suggesting that female reproductive cessation results from its selective advantage, in that the increased risk of personal reproduction late in life makes it biologically more advantageous to rechannel reproductive energy into helping existing descendents, or 2) nonadaptive, indicating menopause is an artifact of the relatively recent dramatic increase in human longevity. With the possible exception of pilot whales, no mammals studied to date are known to commonly exhibit reproductive cessation in nature. To demonstrate adaptive menopause, one would need to establish both that the longevity of preagricultural humans commonly allowed them to exhibit menopause, and that postreproductive females could assist their descendents sufficiently to compensate for the loss of personal reproduction. The data on longevity of preagricultural humans with respect to the adaptive menopause hypothesis are mixed. Evolutionary models evaluated with data from modern hunting-gathering or agricultural humans fail to find that humans can assist their descendents sufficiently to offset the evolutionary cost of ceasing reproduction. However, assuming the human body has been physiologically adapted to the conditions extant during the vast majority of human history, it may be well worth pursuing how the signs and symptoms of menopause are affected by dietary, exercise, and reproductive hormone regimes mimicking those of the late Paleolithic era.
Article
The purpose of the study was to determine the age of menopause among Ghanaian women. A prospective survey involving 152 women in Akosombo District in Ghana was conducted. A questionnaire was developed including: age at menopause, symptoms of hot flushes or flashes, palpitations, anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches, frequency of urine, depression, irritability, tiredness, weight gain, poor memory and attitudes to coitus. Of 152 women interviewed, 29 were excluded because they were not sure of their birth dates and 123 women were analyzed. The mean and median ages at menopause were 48.05 years +/- 3.62 S.D. and 48 years respectively. The major symptoms at menopause were tiredness 79.9%, sleeplessness 71.0%, palpitations 63.7%, weight gain 61.8%, hot flushes 56.5%, and irritability 56.5%. However, 85.6% of the women who experienced hot flushes reported this to be the most unpleasant. 1. The age at menopause in Ghanaian population was 48.05 +/- 3.62. 2. Tiredness, sleeplessness, palpitations, weight gain, hot flushes, irritability, anxiety and headache were the major symptoms at menopause. 3. Hot flushes or flashes was the most disturbing symptom at menopause.
Article
This paper reviews the knowledge accumulated from published population studies of health and ill-health experiences during the menopausal transition. Well-being: mid-aged women are more likely to report positive moods than negative moods. Well-being is not associated with menopausal status but is associated with current health status, psychosocial and lifestyle variables. Symptoms: Symptoms vary greatly across cultures, with North American and European samples reporting higher rates of symptoms than Asian women. The most symptomatic women in the North American samples and Australian studies are those whose menstrual cycles have changed. Vasomotor symptoms increase through the menopausal transition. Other variables such as socio-demographic, health status, stress, premenstrual complaints, attitudes to ageing and menopause, and health behaviors are associated with the occurrence of symptoms. Psychological complaints: There is no increase in the incidence of major depression with the menopause. Negative moods are not associated with the natural menopausal transition. Factors associated with negative moods include surgical menopause, prior depression, health status, menstrual problems, social and family stressors and negative attitudes to menopause. Sexuality: Several studies suggest a decline in sexual functioning associated with menopausal status rather than ageing. Social factors and health status factors are also associated with sexual outcomes. Future research should bring together biomedical and sociological aspects. Positive aspects of health should be assessed as well as troubling symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed with measures of hormonal change. Promoting positive attitudes to ageing and menopause, health lifestyles and stress reduction can be used as community interventions and as part of individual care.
Article
The question of whether or not there has been a secular trend in age of menopause in Europe and the United States from the 1940s to the 1990s has intrigued many investigators. However, since 1978, no attempt has been made to update Flint's 1978 study, from 1948 to 1964, of menopause ages in Denmark, England, France, Germany and the United States. This paper will attempt to describe the problems of doing secular trend research. These include methodological problems such as the use of retrospective dates and population representations, as well as the factors that affect the natural biological age of this reproductive landmark. Suggestions are made for ways to standardize menopause age research cross-culturally. These include having large enough populations studied to be statistically significant and then randomly selecting the same populations in specific areas of a country and studying them every 10 years or more; studying generations of women in same families in various areas of a particular country; or studying cohorts of women, both cross-sectionally and prospectively. An International Menopause Index for worldwide ages of menopause is also proposed.
Article
This report describes the medical and demographic characteristics of menopausal women in Taiwan in order to provide information for consideration during future healthcare planning. The medical and demographic data analyzed were taken from officially published materials of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, our own studies, and those of other researchers. In 1994, the average lifespan of men in Taiwan was 71.8 years and that of women was 77.7 years. The age of menarche was 13.6 years and the age of menopause was 49.5 years. Women aged 50 and over accounted for 18.3% of the total female population and 8.9% of the total population in Taiwan. In 1994, 68.9% of women in Taiwan aged 50 and over were married. The most frequently occurring menopausal symptoms in Taiwanese women were lumbago or low backpain (68%), fatigue (59%), impairment of memory (55%), vaginal dryness (50%), and hot flushes and sweating (49%). The spinal bone mineral density of women decreased markedly after the age of 50 years. The prevalence of vertebral fracture in women 65 years and over was 19.8%, which was higher than the 12.5% in men of the same age group. The prevalence of hypertension and coronary heart disease in women 50 years or older was also higher than in men. The most frequent sites of cancer in women in 1992 were the cervix uteri, breast, sigmoid colon and rectum, lungs, liver, stomach, thyroid, ovaries, hemopoietic and reticuloendothelial systems, and skin. There were 14,298 newly reported cases of malignant neoplasms in women in 1992. About 60% of these occurred in women aged 50 years or more. The median age of occurrence of cervix uteri, breast, and ovarian cancers was 48 to 49 years, which is very close to the menopause age. About 30% of menopausal women in Taiwan are currently living without a husband. Although 18.3% of women in Taiwan were at least 50 years old, approximately 60% of all malignant neoplasms in the female population occurred in this group. There is an urgent need for menopausal women in Taiwan to receive psychologic support and comprehensive medical care. PIP To obtain information to guide future health care planning, data from government and other sources on the demographic and medical characteristics of menopausal Taiwanese women were reviewed. The average age at menopause, according to a 1995-96 study of 386 menopausal women in Taipei, is 49.5 +or- 2.3 years. In 1994, women aged 50 years and over comprised 18.3% of Taiwan's female population and 8.9% of the total population. 68% of menopausal women in the 1995-96 study reported lower back pain; other common symptoms included fatigue (59%), decreased memory (55%), vaginal dryness (50%), hot flashes (49%), insomnia (46%), loss of libido (46%), dry skin (41%), and depression (40%). After menopause, the prevalence of hypertension and coronary heart disease becomes higher among women than men. In addition, bone mineral density decreases markedly and 19.8% of women 65 years of age and over have experienced vertebral fractures. About 60% of malignant neoplasms diagnosed in 1992 involved women aged 50 years and older. By age 60 years, women's risk of cancer begins to increase substantially. An estimated 80% of Taiwanese women initiate hormone replacement therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, prevention of cardiovascular disease, and prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Since 30% of menopausal women in Taiwan are currently widowed or unmarried, there is a need to design programs that offer psychosocial support as well as comprehensive medical care.
Article
To determine the median age of natural menopause in United Arab Emirates women, the factors affecting that age and the prevalence of climacteric symptoms amongst those women. A population-based survey was conducted on a community sample of United Arab Emirates women who had had natural menopause defined as cessation of menstruation for at least 6 months at the end of reproductive years. A total of 742 women aged 40 years and above were recruited from both urban and rural areas of the country using the multi-stage stratified cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and face to face interviews and included a number of familial, reproductive and life-style variables. The median age of the menopause in the United Arab Emirates is 48 years (mean = 47.3 +/- 3.29, range 40-59). This is significantly lower than the median age reported from the West (50.3 years). The subject median age of the menopause was significantly related to that of the mother (P < 0.001), older sister (P < 0.001), parity (P < 0.0001) and the previous use of oral contraceptive pills for more than 1 year (P < 0.001). Hot flushes were the commonest feature of the menopause occurring in 45% of women. The age of natural menopause in United Arab Emirates women, as in other developing countries, is less than in Western women and may be influenced by genetic factors, parity and previous use of oral contraceptives. Climacteric symptomatology, however, is similar in the different patient groups.
Article
Although the perimenopausal transition is a universal experience for women who live long enough, its cross-cultural variations have been explored only recently. In this study, we investigated some of the expectations and health beliefs of 165 midlife Filipina Americans using focus groups and a short-answer questionnaire. Participants reported on (a) how they learned about menopause, (b) who they talked to about menopause symptoms or issues, (c) how Filipino women and men feel about menopause, and (d) the most common health complaints of midlife Filipinas. Findings revealed that midlife Filipina Americans primarily obtain their information from and talk about menopause with female relatives and friends. They usually viewed menopause as a normal life phase, yet knew less about how Filipino men feel about menopause. Health complaints of midlife Filipinas were mainly estrogen-related menopause symptoms and negative affect symptoms.
Article
A preliminary study on the clinical presentation and management of menopause in a large Teaching Hospital in Lagos Nigeria is delineated in this article. All the gynecological cases in the hospital over a 10-year period were reviewed showing a total of 77048 gynecological cases of which 102 were menopausal. The mean age of menopause was 49.8 +or- 6.8 years with a range of 37-60 years. Postmenopausal bleeding was the commonest presenting complaint followed by hot flashes and sweating. None complained of dyspareunia or loss of libido. The lack of knowledge and the cultural influences on the perception of the people concerning menopause resulted in less information on symptoms. This study has shown that menopause in Nigeria still needs to be acknowledged for better diagnosis and management.
Article
To increase understanding of women's midlife changes, 23 focus groups were held to investigate the possible ethnic variations in attitude toward and experience with menopause, hysterectomy, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and Navajo women in New Mexico. The medical definition of menopause, no menstrual bleeding for 12 months, did not coincide with the women's definition of menopause as the hormonal fluctuations they experienced before, during, and after any change in their menstrual cycle. More women reported having to fight to have a hysterectomy than having one unnecessarily. Women complained about the lack of information and preparation prior to having a hysterectomy and expressed dissatisfaction with doctor-patient communication, but they were satisfied with their hysterectomy because they felt better after the surgery. Although women in the study reported that menopause and hysterectomy are seldom discussed openly, they all participated freely in the storytelling focus groups. The most traditional women, primarily rural Navajo and newly immigrated Latina, related few or no menopausal symptoms with natural menopause or after hysterectomy. Many of these women had not even heard of HRT. Many women who had been prescribed HRT expressed dissatisfaction with the side effects and dosage. Unsupervised tinkering with the dosage was the rule rather than the exception. The study revealed that women are much more alike than they are different. Traditional women in all ethnic groups had more in common with each other than they did with the least traditional women in their own ethnic group.
Article
Recent menopause literature does not sufficiently explore women's attitudes on the transmission of knowledge about menopause from sources other than biomedical providers. Analysis of 70 interviews with African American and Euro-American women shows that their perceptions of the intergenerational transfer of knowledge about menopause from their mothers shaped their attitudes toward menopause and the health-care technologies surrounding it. African American women who grew up in the segregated South frequently expressed that their mothers provided them with the knowledge and power to negotiate difficulties during the menopausal process, while many middle-class Euro-American women expressed that their mothers did not. Drawing on literature that examines the effects of race, class, and kinship on mother/daughter relationships, this article explores the reasons for this divergence.
Article
This essay presents an analysis of women's lived experience of the transition from childbearing to postchildbearing among a division of the Tuareg in Niger, West Africa. The analysis suggests that biological realities associated with the end of fertility are interwined with local notions of qualities of ritual and social elderhood among women. It shows how changes in ritual and social roles, associated with increasing devotion to Islam and becoming a mother-in-law, are salient criteria for assuming the role and status of post-menopausal woman. The implication of this is very significant for biocultural reasons: menstruation and its cessation are not always literally the most important markers in female aging, in cross-cultural perspective.
Article
The purpose of the present qualitative study was to understand health perceptions and practises among Thai menopausal women. One hundred and forty-two women aged 45-59 participated in the study in 1999. Data gathered from observations, focus group discussions, and in depth interviews were analyzed by using the hermeneutic phenomenological method. Four main themes emerged as characteristic of the health perceptions, practises and worldviews of the participants. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of what it is like to be a menopausal woman, and why certain health activities are practised.
Article
The perimenopausal years should serve to remind patients and clinicians that this is a time for education. Certainly preventive health care education is important throughout life, but at the time of midlife, a review of the major health issues can be especially rewarding. The failure to respond appropriately (by either clinician or patient) easily leads to a loss of the patient from a practice, but equally, if not more importantly, is the probability that the loss of a patient from a practice means that another woman has lost her involvement in a preventive health care program. Contrary to popular opinion, the menopause is not a signal of impending decline, but rather a wonderful phenomenon that can signal the start of something positive, a good health program.
Article
The association between changes in menopausal status and menopause-related symptom reporting over the course of the menopause transition is not well understood, especially whether there are any racial differences in this association. To determine (1) the prevalence and the natural history of menopause symptoms among primary care patients approaching, or at menopause; (2) the relationship between self-reported symptoms and menopausal status; and (3) whether this relationship varies in African American and white women. Cross-sectional self-report survey of 342 women aged 40 to 55 years (31.6% African American) were recruited from 8 family practice centers in 2000 and 2001. Among 251 women without surgical menopause, 133 (53.0%) were premenopausal, 72 (28.7%) were peri-menopausal, and 46 (18.3%) were postmenopausal. The most commonly reported symptoms were joint/muscle pain and headache, which did not vary by menopausal status. As many as 28.6% of the women with regular menstruation reported hot flashes, and 18.8% had night sweats; although both symptoms were strongly associated with changes in menopausal status (P < .01). During the natural menopausal transition, white women had increasing trends of nervousness, memory loss, vaginal dryness, loss of sexual interest, hot flashes, and night sweats while African American women only had increasing trend of painful sex and hot flashes. In multivariate analyses, loss of sexual interest was associated with postmenopause status in white but not in African American women. Symptoms are not uncommon among premenopausal women and become more prevalent as the transition through menopause occurs. The prevalence of vasomotor symptoms in premenopausal women may be an under-recognized aspect of the natural history of the menopause transition. African American and white women may present different symptoms through menopause transition.
Article
We set out to assess menopausal symptoms and the adaptability to them in a Nigerian population. This was a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire and supplemented with focus group discussion carried out on a rural postmenopausal population in South-east Nigeria. Data were analysed using the epi Info version 3.3.2. Data from 186 were analysed. The mean age of women at the time of interview was 49.6+/-6.3 years. Mean and median ages at menopause were 45.47+/-5.5 years and 47 years, respectively. The major symptoms at menopause were: hot flushes 36 (58.1%), sweating 25 (40.3%), urinary frequency 24 (38.7%), vaginal dryness, discomfort or discharge 22 (35.5%), lack of concentration 17 (27.4%) and irritability 15 (24.2%). Widowhood and the empty nest syndrome but not educational attainment imparted negatively on the ability of the women to cope with the menopausal symptoms. Menopausal symptoms are a health concern to the Christian population in South-east Nigeria. Doctors working in this environment should utilise the opportunity of clinical consultation to raise and discuss these symptoms with postmenopausal women.