Tsao LI, Su MC, Hsiao PJ, Gau YM, An C, Lin KC. The longitudinal effects of a perimenopausal health education intervention on the mid-life women in Taiwan.
Maturitas 2007;
57:296-305. [PMID:
17350190 DOI:
10.1016/j.maturitas.2007.01.013]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2006] [Revised: 01/23/2007] [Accepted: 01/24/2007] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The study purpose was to evaluate the longitudinal effects, after 3 months and 1-year, of a perimenopausal health education intervention for mid-life women in Taiwan.
METHODS
This study was conducted at two hospitals and their neighborhood communities (each included three subgroups, traditional Chinese, gynecologic and neighborhood communities), using a parallel-design, control trial for mid-life women. There were three instruments: (1) the Perceived Uncertainty Scale, (2) the Perceived Perimenopausal Disturbances Scale and (3) the Practice of Health Behaviors Scale. The intervention effects from the study baseline to a 1-year follow-up were estimated using the mixed effect model (SAS-MIXED procedure) for repeated measures of health behaviors, perceived uncertainty and perceived perimenopausal disturbances.
RESULTS
A total of 161 women were in the education group, while 174 women were in the control group. After a 1-year follow-up, health education intervention had significantly increased the practice of health behavior in both Chinese medicine subgroups (beta=15.39, P<0.001) and gynecologic clinics subgroup (beta=10.08, P<0.005). On the other hand, health education intervention had significantly decreased perceived uncertainty in subgroups of Chinese medicine (beta=-9.52, P<0.005).
CONCLUSIONS
The perimenopausal health education had positive effects in reducing perceived uncertainty and increasing practice of health behavior among women from Chinese medicine clinics after a 1-year follow-up. Women from the gynecologic clinics showed the intervention effects of increasing health behavior after a three month and 1-year follow-ups. However, the women from neighborhood communities did not show any significant intervention effects at follow-ups. It is important to urge the women from communities to promote health practices for their perimenopausal transition instead of just living with their changing health.
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