The Relationship between Health Status and Social Activity of Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women (Health Status and Social Relationships in Menopause).

Beata Naworska,Monika Bąk-Sosnowska,Anna Brzęk

doi:10.3390/ijerph17228388

Abstract

The quantity and quality of interpersonal relations (including participation in University of the Third Age—U3A) play an important role for women during menopausal changes. Women who have a social network are found to be more positive about menopause, and are less likely to be depressed. This case-control study aimed to analyze the relationship between participating in formal social groups and health status related to physical activity and climacteric and depressive symptoms. The study was conducted among 621 peri- and postmenopausal women aged 50–64 years. The women were classified into two groups: U3A and controls. The participants were selected using a multistage sampling method. The IPAQ (The International Physical Activity Questionnaire), Kupperman Index (KI), and Beck Depression Inventory were used for data collection. Significant differences between the groups were confirmed in the area of professional work (p < 0.001), free time (p < 0.001), and sitting (p < 0.05). The average KI score in the U3A group was higher (t-Student = 2.12, p < 0.05). Depressive symptoms were found in 43.49% of U3A women vs. 51.15% in controls (p < 0.01). We conclude that participation in formal social groups is associated with higher level of physical activity and reduced severity of both climacteric and depressive symptoms.

Highlights

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines menopause as the last normal monthly period of bleeding in a woman’s life, which is causally linked to the total loss of ovarian follicles
There were no significant differences between both groups with regard to age (p > 0.05) and body mass index (BMI) (p > 0.05)
The results of our research showed that the majority of women from both groups did not manifest climacteric symptoms despite being 50–64 years old

Summary

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines menopause as the last normal monthly period of bleeding in a woman’s life, which is causally linked to the total loss of ovarian follicles. According to the menopausal division of a woman’s life, there are three consecutive periods adjacent to menopause: menopausal transition period, perimenopause, and postmenopause. Premenopause is defined as the stage before the last menstrual period in which the irregularity of menstruation is usually increased and falls in the age range of about 45–49 years. Perimenopause includes the period immediately before menopause (about two years), when the first clinical, biological, and endocrine features of the approaching last menstrual period begin to appear, as well as one to two years after menopause. Postmenopause, on the other hand, is defined by the WHO as the period of life after the last menstrual. Public Health 2020, 17, 8388; doi:10.3390/ijerph17228388 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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