Severity and Frequency of Menopausal Symptoms in Middle Aged Women, Rasht, Iran

Treatment-induced menopause symptoms among women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy in China: a comparison to age- and menopause status-matched controls

OBJECTIVE

Whether women with breast cancer experience more severe menopause symptoms than comparison women without a history of breast cancer diagnosis remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy experience more severe menopause symptoms than comparison women and explore various factors influencing menopause symptoms in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

METHODS

This cross-sectional observational study recruited 423 women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and 1,829 community women without breast cancer. All participants completed a questionnaire assessing menopause symptoms using the Menopause Rating Scale and general characteristics (eg, sociodemographic and clinical data). Propensity score matching was used to reduce the confounders between the two groups. Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in menopause symptoms between the two groups. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to explore various factors influencing menopause symptoms in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, 808 participants were included. The mean ages of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and comparison women were 49.58 and 49.10 years, respectively. Women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy experienced significantly more severe vasomotor symptoms than comparison women. However, comparison women had higher Menopause Rating Scale scores and more severe menopause symptoms than women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Age, occupational status, chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea, family history of cancer, chemotherapy stage, mindfulness, resiliency, and illness perception were associated with menopause symptoms in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Vasomotor symptoms are prominent among women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Understanding the factors contributing to menopause symptoms is crucial for healthcare practitioners to develop supportive guidelines for the well-being of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Effectiveness of Educational Intervention Based on Transtheoretical Model on Physical Activity and Menopausal Symptoms

Introduction

Menopause is an inevitable part of women's lives. Physical activity as nonhormonal therapy can decrease the symptoms of menopause. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of educational intervention based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) on physical activity and menopausal symptoms of female clients of the health center in Pasargad City, Iran.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study was performed on 140 females admitted to health center of Pasargad City, Fars Province, Iran (intervention = 70 and control = 70). The data collection tool consisted of demographic data, menopause rating scale, international physical activities questionnaire, and TTM questionnaire (stages of change, processes of change, decision-making balance, and self-efficacy) that were completed before and two months after intervention. For intervention group, the educational program was implemented during 5 sessions of 50-55 min. Data were analyzed by SPSS 25 and by using Chi-square test, independent t-test, and paired t-test.

Results

After intervention, the mean scores of physical symptoms are sleep problems, muscle problems and discomfort, psychological symptoms, depression, irritability, and anxiety of intervention group decreased significantly post intervention (p < 0.001). Analysis showed that psychological symptoms, mental fatigue, somatic, and urogenital symptoms, and vaginal dryness increased 2 months after the intervention. Also, the mean score of cons, pros, decision balance, self-efficacy, consciousness raising, dramatic relief, environmental reevaluation, and self-reevaluation have significant changed in intervention group (p < 0.05). In addition, the top percent of progress can be seen in contemplation (31. 5%).

Conclusion

This study showed the effectiveness of educational intervention based on TTM to reduce menopausal symptoms and promote physical activity in postmenopausal women.

Personalised Nutritional Plan and Resistance Exercise Program to Improve Health Parameters in Celiac Women

Celiac disease (CD) is a permanent immune reaction to gluten in those with a genetic predisposition. This study was designed to evaluate menopause-associated symptoms, mood, bone quality, and IgA antibody levels in women with CD, untreated and treated with a gluten-free diet (GFD), and with or without resistance exercise. The randomised controlled trial was conducted on 28 Spanish women (>40 years old). Participants were divided into the following intervention groups: personalised gluten-free nutrition plan + exercise (GFD + E); personalised gluten-free nutrition plan (GFD); celiac controls (NO-GFD); and non-celiac controls (CONTROL). The participants responded to the Menopause Rating Scale and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. Bone quality was measured with ultrasound and IgA with a blood test. After 12 weeks of intervention, the GFD + E group showed significant improvement in urogenital symptoms and scored higher on the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS. Negative associations were found between the total score on the Menopause Rating Scale and the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS questionnaire. Only those women who underwent a personalised GFD nutritional intervention combined with resistance exercise demonstrated significant changes after the intervention.

Menopause symptoms in women and its relation with using complementary and alternative medicines: A survey in southeast Iran

Background

Postmenopausal women are interested in using complementary and alternative medicine because of their menopausal symptoms and the side effects of chemical medications and hormone therapy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the use of complementary medicine (CAM) and menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 288 postmenopausal women who were referred to health centers in Kerman, southeastern Iran, from 2020 to 2021. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the CAM questionnaire, and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).

Results

The mean score for the menopausal symptoms of the participants was 8.73 ± 6.11. Only 28.8% of the participants had no/little symptoms. About 65.3% of the participants used at least one type of CAM in the previous year. The most commonly used types of CAM were nutritional supplements, prayer, and medicinal herbs. A significant association was found between the use of medicinal herbs, dry cupping, relaxation and meditation, prayer, and menopausal symptoms. Women experiencing menopausal symptoms used more CAM methods than those without menopausal symptoms (Odds ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval = 1.33-3.80).

Conclusion

The study results indicated that the severity of menopausal symptoms and scores in somatic-vegetative and urogenital domains were higher in CAM users compared to non-CAM users. But there was no significant difference in the psychological domain between CAM and non-CAM users. Based on the results, it is suggested that more research be done in different communities with different healthcare systems to find out how complementary and alternative medicine affects menopausal symptoms in women.

The effect of exercise training based on the health promotion model on menopausal symptoms

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to determine the effect of exercise training provided based on the health promotion model on menopausal symptoms.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The sample size was identified as 156 women. The women who were given exercise training applied a 30-min daily exercise program for 12 weeks, while those in the control group were not trained and did not exercise.

FINDINGS

The difference between the mean scores of the groups was statistically significant (p = 0.000).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Exercise training given to women in the experimental group based on a health promotion model reduced menopausal symptoms.

Does social support affect menopausal symptoms in menopausal women?

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of perceived social support of menopausal women on their menopausal complaints.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 505 women. The data were obtained using personal information form, menopause rating scale, and multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Frequency, percentage, t test, analysis of variance Skewness and Kurtosis (±1) and correlation were used in the analysis of the data.

FINDINGS

In the study, it was found that there was a positive and significant relationship between menopausal symptoms and social support, and menopausal symptoms decreased as social support increased.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurses should provide consultancy for women to increase their social support systems to decrease their menopausal complaints.

Relationship between Self-Perception of Aging and Quality of Life in the Different Stages of Reproductive Aging in Mexican Women

Biological aging has an abrupt beginning in women, changing their body and perceptions, which are not accepted easily because the actual stereotypes are focused on youth and anti-aging. Our interest was to explore what the self-perception of aging (SPA) is in middle-aged women throughout the reproductive aging stages and their association with the quality of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 women (40−69 years) living in Mexico City, who were separated according to their reproductive aging stage. An electronic version of the Spanish version of the Self-rated Attitudes Towards Old Age (SATO) and the WHO Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL) was applied to these women and was sent by WhatsApp or email. Seventeen women of the total sample (7%) had a negative self-perception of aging. There is an association between SATO and WHOQoL (r = −0.273, p < 0.0001), but in the menopausal transition stage, the association is strong in the psychological subscale, and after menopause, early and late postmenopausal women show a better association in the social subscale. Negative SPA impacts the WHOQoL psychological dimension and not the total WHOQoL score. Our findings suggest an association between SPA and quality of life in different reproductive aging stages.

A study on women’s health information needs in menopausal age

Menopause is a natural event experienced by women in middle age. To help women manage this event, it is important to identify their health information needs. A study specific questionnaire was used to identify menopausal women’s health information needs and the resources and challenges related to finding information about menopause. A total of 301 women aged 48–55 years completed the questionnaire. Data were analysed using negative binomial regression and chi-square tests. The most frequently sought information was that related to breast cancer (n = 209, 69.5%), hot flushes (n = 200, 66.5%), cervical cancer (n = 194, 64.5%), non-hormonal therapies for menopausal symptoms (n = 192, 64%), laboratory tests (n = 189, 63%) and joint and muscle pain (n = 188, 62.5%). The main sources of information were audiovisual media (n = 171, 57%), obstetricians (n = 165, 55%), friends (n = 157, 52%), family (n = 157, 52%) and the internet (n = 153, 51%). The two main challenges were not knowing how to correctly access information (n = 115, 38%) and not being aware of reliable sources of information (n = 108, 36%). Therefore, it is essential for policymakers and decision-makers to provide reliable and accurate information to increase awareness and reduce anxiety of women experiencing menopause.

Review of menopausal palpitations measures

Palpitations are reported commonly by women around the time of menopause as skipped, missed, irregular, and/or exaggerated heartbeats or heart pounding. However, much less is known about palpitations than other menopausal symptoms such as vasomotor symptoms. The objective of this review was to integrate evidence on menopausal palpitations measures. Keyword searching was done in PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for English-language, descriptive articles containing data on menopause and palpitations and meeting other pre-specified inclusion criteria. Of 670 articles, 110 met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results showed that 11 different measures were used across articles, with variability within and between measures. Inconsistencies in the wording of measurement items, recall periods, and response options were observed even when standardized measures were used. Most measures were limited to assessing symptom presence and severity. Findings suggest that efforts should be undertaken to (1) standardize conceptual and operational definitions of menopausal palpitations and (2) develop a patient-friendly, conceptually clear, psychometrically sound measure of menopausal palpitations.

Factors associated with quality of life of postmenopausal women living in Iran

Background

Quality of life (QoL) after menopause could be influenced by a host of personal and social factors. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with quality of life among postmenopausal women.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 postmenopausal women selected using a multi-stage randomized sampling. The data-collection tools were the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and a researcher-designed questionnaire. The relationship between QoL and its potentially correlated factors was examined using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression.

Results

A negative correlation was found between the scores of QoL (total and all subscales) and the MRS total scores. The total scores of QoL were negatively correlated with duration of menopause (r = − 0.127, P = 0.010), gravida (r = − 0.177, P < 0.001), parity (r = − 0.165, P = 0.001), frequency of stillbirth (r = − 0.104, P = 0.037), vaginal delivery (r = − 0.161, P = 0.001), and waist-to-hip ratio (r = − 0.195, P < 0.001). The QoL total scores were positively correlated with the educational level of the participants (r = 0.207, P < 0.001) and that of their spouses (r = 0.160, P = 0.001) along with their level of monthly family income (r = 0.218, P < 0.001). Multiple-linear-regression analysis showed that the total score of QoL decreased with inadequate income, waist-to-hip ratio, and the total score of MRS.

Conclusions

Personal and social factors along with the severity of menopausal symptoms affect QoL post-menopause. These factors need to have a bearing on any effort to improve QoL among postmenopausal women.

Searching for predictors of sense of quality of health: A study using neural networks on a sample of perimenopausal women

BACKGROUND

We assumed that perimenopausal women's sense of quality of health (SQH) is a subjective evaluation of their psycho-physical health, and comprises three dimensions: sense of quality of life, menopausal symptoms, and the level of positive and negative affect.

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to: 1) test a model about SQH, and 2) explore the role of personality traits, self-esteem, body self, and self-stereotype as predictors of SQH.

METHODS

The sample included 201 women aged between 45 and 55 (50.11±3.07). Participants filled out the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Personality Inventory based on the Big Five Factor Model, the Body Self Questionnaire, and a survey querying perimenopausal women's self-stereotype. To determine the individual SQH dimensions we used the Sense of Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Menopause Symptom List, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. To verify the assumptions of the SQH model and look for SQH predictors we conducted a neural networks analysis with structure optimization via genetic algorithms (a multivariate analysis).

RESULTS

The SQH model was verified in the course of several neural networks analyses with structure optimization via genetic algorithms (R = 0.849, R2 = 0.723, F = 133,232, p < 0.01). Moreover, we confirmed that SQH comprised three dimensions: quality of life, menopausal symptoms, and affect. SQH and menopausal symptoms were correlated. Similarly, positive and negative affect modified the women's global sense of quality of life. SQH predictors included: personality traits, self-esteem, the body-self, and menopausal woman's self-stereotype.

CONCLUSION

In practical terms, our findings may help raise awareness among women and medical practitioners, calling for a holistic approach to the health of menopausal women. Our findings may also facilitate the creation of both prevention and therapeutic programs for women transitioning through menopause, for example, cognitive-behavioral therapy.