The relationship between women's attitude towards menopause and menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the symptoms of menopausal women as well as the relationship between women's attitude towards menopause and menopausal symptoms.

Method: This studied, following a cross-sectional method, included 349 selected postmenopausal women attending health care centers. The data was collected using the attitude toward menopause (ATM) checklist and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaires.

Results: The most common menopausal symptoms were physical with joint and muscle pain. The highest mean score belongs to vasomotor symptoms (1.37 ± 1.43), followed by psychosocial (1.32 ± 1.16), physical (1.22 ± 0.96), and sexual (0.91 ± 0.94) symptoms. Attitude toward menopause was significantly influenced by sweat nights, poor memory, and sleeplessness. The marital status and educational level of the husband were the only demographic factors affecting the severity of menopausal symptoms.

Conclusion: This study provides deeper insights about the relationship between attitudes towards menopause and menopausal symptoms, which can guide health-care professionals towards providing an optimal package.

Keywords: Attitude; menopausal symptoms; postmenopausal women.