[Effect of socioeconomic factors on timing of menopause and the course of climacteric]

Abstract

The influence of several socioeconomic factors on age at menopause as well as on the mode of climacteric have been investigated in 142 postmenopausal women, originating from Eastern Austria. A significant correlation between socioeconomic factors and the age at menopause could not be observed. Unlike the age at menopause, significant correlations between socioeconomic factors and the degree of severity of climacteric syndrome could be made, resp., the education level, the marital status, total number of children and number of children not living in the parents household correlated significantly with the degree of severity of several symptoms of climacteric syndrome. The socioeconomic factors influenced only the somatic symptoms, which are mainly caused by hormonal changes during the climacteric. According to the results of the present study, psychosocial stress may influence sex hormone levels during the climacteric and postmenopause and, thus, the mode of climacteric.