Effect of Postmenopausal Symptoms on Health-related Quality of Life among Women Residing in Rural Areas of Central Gujarat and Saurashtra: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Menopause means permanent cessation of menstruation at the end of reproductive life. With the increase in life expectancy, women spend one-third of their life in menopausal period. Menopausal women face problems like hot flushes, feeling accomplished, poor memory, tiredness, joint pain, weak physical strength, lack of energy, avoiding intimacy, and vaginal dryness. Due to these the physical, psychosocial, and sexual health-related aspects get deteriorated. Aim: To assess the effect of postmenopausal symptoms on health-related quality of life among women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used, and 168 postmenopausal women, were selected following home visits at selected rural areas of Central Gujarat and Saurashtra, India. Women in the age group of 40-60 years, who had completed seven years of natural menopausal period were eligible for the study. The Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire was used and statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0. Results: Mean age of the postmenopausal women was 76.93 years. The majority 85 (50.6%) had completed their primary education. The most commonly found postmenopausal symptoms were feeling tired 153 (91.07%), loss of physical strength 153 (91.07%), and lack of energy 153 (91.07%). The mean score for vasomotor domain was 5.34±1.91, sexual domain 4.31±1.69, psychosocial domain 4.07±1.44, and physical domain was 3.85±1.10. The majority of the postmenopausal symptoms were related to the vasomotor domain. Conclusion: The present study findings concluded that all domains’ symptoms negatively impacted a women’s quality of life.The majorly affected domain was vasomotor, while least affected was physical domain.