An evaluation of a health education intervention for mid-aged women: five year follow-up of effects upon knowledge, impact of menopause and health

Abstract

An evaluation of the long term impact of a health education intervention in primary care, for premenopausal women (45 years of age), is presented. The intervention included information and group discussion about menopause, stress management, health behaviours (smoking, exercise, diet) and treatment choices. Questionnaires were sent to 86 women who had been randomised into two groups (prepared/control) and were now aged 50 (response rate 91%). The prepared group had significantly greater knowledge of menopause and attributed fewer symptoms to the menopause than the controls. There were no group differences in measures of general health or mood, but there was a tendency for the prepared group to report more interest in sexual activity. Subjective evaluation of the intervention was positive in terms of increasing knowledge and helping women to deal with the emotional and practical aspects of the menopause.