Menopause status and its determinants in rural North Karnataka

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Perimenopause symptoms need attention of health.care providers and public health personnel to enable the appropriate healthcare, including improving psychological makeup and for planning for further studies. Hence, the study was undertaken with an objective to study the menopause along with factors affecting the quality of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross.sectional study has been carried out to investigate the factors affecting/related with perimenopausal symptoms, during February to July 2016, using proportional to population size inverse cluster sampling. The present study was conducted covering 712 women of age 40-55 years, comprised of 550 menopause, 40 surgical induced menopause and 122 yet to achieve menopause. RESULTS: The odds ratio (OR) of menopaused women in other than gHindush and gMuslimsh were found higher than the reference group (Hindus). OR of menopause groups was statistically significant with gMildh heart discomfort, gMildh sexual desire, dryness of vagina, hot flushes, physical and mental exhaustion, depressive mood, anxiety, sleep problem, and irritability as compared with their respective reference groups (absence of symptoms). Similar results were exhibited by gMildh physical and mental exhaustion (OR = 2.22; P CONCLUSION: Psycho.physiological changes were seen by heart discomfort, sexual desire problem, irritability, depressive mood, anxiety, hot flushes, sleep problems, physical and mental exhaustion, and dryness of vagina exhibited significantly higher in perimenopause women. Hence, well.planned and calibrated health education and necessary symptomatic treatment must always be arranged for the welfare in the perimenopause period.