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. 2011 Dec;18(12):1298-302.
doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31821f92f2.

Chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women

Heather F de Vries  1 , Gina M Northington, Elise M Kaye, Hillary R Bogner
Affiliations

Chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women

Heather F de Vries et al. Menopause. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women.

Methods: Age at menopause was assessed in a population-based longitudinal survey of 240 women twice, in 1993 and 2004. Women who recalled age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of age at menopause recalled in 1993 (concordant) were compared with women who did not recall age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year of age at menopause recalled in 1993 (discordant). Type of menopause (surgical or natural) and chronic medical conditions were assessed by self-report.

Results: One hundred forty-three women (59.6%) reported surgical menopause, and 97 (40.4%) reported natural menopause. In all, 130 (54.2%) women recalled age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994, whereas 110 (45.8%) women did not recall age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994. Among the women with surgical menopause, the women with three or more medical conditions were less likely to have concordant recall of age at menopause than the women with less than three chronic medical conditions (adjusted odds ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15-0.91) in multivariate models controlling for potentially influential characteristics including cognition and years since menopause.

Conclusions: Among women who underwent surgical menopause, the presence of three or more medical conditions is associated with decreased reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: None

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