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. 2006 Jul 6;124(4):214-8.
doi: 10.1590/s1516-31802006000400008.

Climacteric complaints among very low-income women from a tropical region of Brazil

Sebastião Freitas de Medeiros  1 , Márcia Marly Winck Yamamoto de Medeiros, Vivaldo Naves de Oliveira
Affiliations

Climacteric complaints among very low-income women from a tropical region of Brazil

Sebastião Freitas de Medeiros et al. Sao Paulo Med J. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Context and objective: Climacteric symptoms may vary between different countries and cultures. Socioeconomic factors and climate may be implicated. The aim of this study was to identify climacteric symptomatology among very low-income Brazilian women, living in a hot and humid region.

Design and setting: This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in Cuiabá, at Júlio Müller University Hospital, a tertiary institution.

Methods: The study enrolled 354 climacteric women. The variables analyzed were social class, symptomatology and abnormal concurrent conditions. The study was approved by the hospital's research ethics committee.

Results: Sixty-five percent of the participants (232/354) were very poor and had had little schooling. The number of symptoms per woman was 8.0 +/- 5.7. Hot flushes, nervousness, forgetfulness and fatigue were each found in nearly 60.0%. Tearfulness, depression, melancholy and insomnia were also frequent. Sexual problems were reported by 25%. The most relevant concurrent abnormal conditions reported were hypertension (33.9%), obesity (26.5%), arthritis/arthrosis (15.0%) and diabetes mellitus (9.6%). Hot flushes were associated with tearfulness, nervousness and forgetfulness.

Conclusion: Brazilian climacteric women of low income and low schooling present multiple symptoms. Vasomotor and psychosexual symptoms were the most prevalent disorders. Hot flushes were associated with nervousness, forgetfulness and tearfulness.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO:: Sintomas climatérios podem mudar em diferentes culturas e países. Aspectos sócio-econômicos e clima podem estar envolvidos. Este estudo tem como proposta identificar os sintomas em mulheres climatéricas brasileiras de baixa renda de uma região quente e úmida do Brasil.

TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL:: Estudo de coorte transversal, realizado no Hospital Universitário Julio Muller em Cuiabá.

MÉTODOS:: Este estudo incluiu todas as 354 mulheres climatéricas do Distrito Oeste de Cuiabá. Incluiuse na análise as variáveis classe social, sintomas e doenças coexistentes. Possíveis associações foram examinadas pelo teste χ2 e regressão logística.

RESULTADOS:: 65% das pacientes eram muito pobres e de baixa escolaridade. O número médio de sintomas referidos por mulher foi de 8.0 ± 5.7. Fogachos, nervosismo, esquecimento e fadiga foram encontrados em quase 60% das mulheres. Choro imotivado, melancolia, depressão e insônia também foram freqüentes. Disfunções sexuais foram relatadas por cerca de 25% das mulheres. Fogachos foram associados com esquecimento, nervosismo e choro imotivado. As doenças coexistentes mais freqüentes foram hipertensão arterial (33,9%), obesidade (26,5%), artrite/artrose (15,0%) e diabetes mellitus (9,6%).

CONCLUSÃO:: Mulheres climatéricas brasileiras de baixa renda e baixa escolaridade são plurisintomáticas. Os sintomas vasomotores e psicosexuais foram os mais prevalentes. Fogachos foram associados a nervosismo, esquecimento e choro imotivado.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: Not declared

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