A Prospective and Cross-Sectional Study on Quality of Life among Postmenopausal Women in a Coastal Semi Urban area of India

Abstract

Background: Menopause is the natural process in a woman. Some hormonal changes will happen during the period of menopause. In this study, our main objectives were to find the association between the classifications of demographic variables and the various scores of domains and to find the association of various predictors variables of different domains of quality of life among post-menopausal women. Materials and Methods: We have conducted a prospective and cross-sectional study on Quality of Life (QOL) among one hundred and fifty Postmenopausal Women in Coastal Semi Urban area of Kerala India in the year 2018. Data was collected by using Menopause Specific quality of Life – 29 questionnaire with 7 Likert scale (0 – 7). The association between various scores of domains of QOL scores and selected socio-demographic variables by using analysis of variance test analysis and the association of various predictors of different domains of quality of life of post-menopausal women by using bi-variate logistic regression analysis. Data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 version. Results: Overall mean age of post-menopausal women was 55.7 ± 4.8 (Range: 50 – 65) years. Higher QOL scores were showed higher risk. In our study, using MENQOL scores showed significant associations with p–value<0.05 in QOL based on body mass index, educational status, socio economic status, number of siblings, and marital status. Conclusion: From study findings, we have concluded that low and normal body mass index, higher educational status, upper to lower middle socio-economic status, a smaller number of siblings, and un-marital status were increased the quality of life and reduces menopausal symptoms problems among post-menopausal women. So, further effective intervention programs are needed in this study areas of the population to develop/increase the quality of life among post-menopausal women. Key Words: post-menopausal women, symptoms, quality of life, prospective and cross-sectional study, coastal area