Severity Of Menopausal Symptoms Research Articles

Effectiveness of Tibolone in Relieving Postmenopausal Symptoms for a Short-Term Period in Indian Women.

Tibolone is an alternative to conventional estrogen and progesterone in relieving post-menopausal symptoms in Indian women. A prospective short-term observational study was done at a tertiary care teaching hospital in New Delhi from November 2019 to September 2021. Fifty-three women, less than 60years of age, presenting with moderate to severe intensity of menopausal symptoms as assessed by measuring menopausal rating score (MRS > 8) were enrolled and given Tibolone 2.5mg daily for 3months. Improvements in symptoms were seen at 1month and 3months. Side effects were also noted. Marked improvement was seen as reduction in scores of psychological, somatic and genitourinary symptoms was noted. The psychological symptoms reduced from 8.92 ± 1.959 to 2.905 ± 1.042, the somatic symptoms decreased from 8.33 ± 2.299 to 3.4 ± 1.167, and genitourinary symptoms decreased from 3.64 ± 1.42 to 2.150 ± 0.948 after 3months of treatment with Tibolone. Only 3 patients (5.6%) experienced vaginal spotting with no major side effects. Tibolone is a highly effective and well accepted drug to reduce moderate to severe menopausal symptoms, especially psychological symptoms including depression.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome in a sample of climacteric women living in Latin America.

The aim of this study was to assess resilience, fear of COVID-19, sleep disorders, and menopause-related symptoms after the acute phase of COVID-19 in middle-aged women with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and noninfected women. This is a cross-sectional, analytical study of climacteric women from 9 Latin American countries, aged 40-64 years, attending a routine health checkup. We evaluated clinical characteristics and used the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Jenkins Sleep Scale, and the Menopause Rating Scale to evaluate their health. A total of 1,238 women were studied, including 304 who were positive for COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The median (interquartile range) age was 53 (12) years; years of studies, 16 (6); body mass index, 25.6 (5.1) kg/m 2 ; and time since first COVID-19 symptom, 8 (6) months. COVID-19 patients reported fatigability (18.8%), joint and muscular discomfort (14.1%), and anosmia (9.5%). They had a significantly lower resilience score (26.87 ± 8.94 vs 29.94 ± 6.65), higher Fear of COVID-19 score (17.55 ± 7.44 vs 15.61 ± 6.34), and a higher Jenkins Scale score (6.10 ± 5.70 vs 5.09 ± 5.32) compared with control women. A logistic regression model confirmed these results. There was not a significant difference in the total Menopause Rating Scale score, although the odds ratios for both severe menopausal symptoms (1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.76) and the use of hypnotics were higher in women with COVID-19 (1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-2.50) compared with those without infection. We found no decrease in studied outcomes between the initial 7 months versus those reported after 8 to 18 months since first COVID-19 symptoms. COVID-19 climacteric women have sleep disorders, lower resilience and higher fear of COVID-19.

Effectiveness Of Weight Bearing Exercise On Menopausal Problems Among Menopausal Women

Menopause is the term used to describe the Natural and Permanent cessation of the monthly female reproductive cycles, which is typically exhibited by a persistent lack of menstruation and monthly periods. The goal of the study was to compare the effects of weight-bearing activities on menopausal symptoms in experimental and control groups of menopausal women. The theoretical foundation is based on an updated version of Weidenbach's Clinical Nursing Theory. (1964). The study was carried out in the Karumbukuppam village, Gummidipoondi taluk, Thiruvallur district, using a true experimental design with an evaluation technique. Using a simple random sampling technique, 60 menopausal women who fit the inclusion requirements were chosen, and the experimental and control groups received 30 samples each. Age, education, occupation, religion, age at menarche, menstrual cycle, days of flow, duration of cycle pattern, menstrual marital status, number of children, and delivery method were the factors chosen for the study. The Semantic Differential Scale for Sleep Disruption and the Modified Numerical Categorical Scale for Low Back Pain were the tools utilised to gauge the severity of menopausal symptoms. The same tool was used for the Pre test. The postmenopausal women in the experimental group performed weight-bearing exercises like wall push-ups, chair squats, shrugs, leg raises, and brisk walking every morning. When it came time for the follow-up test, the same instrument was used. Those in the Control group took the Post test without any moderating input. Data analysis made use of both descriptive and inferential statistics. The members of the Experimental group had their “Mean” score for sleep disruption was 2.13 with a “Standard Deviation” of 0.68, and after the test, it was 1.17 with a similar “Standard Deviation”. The computed t value was 10.8, and at the p0.001 level, it was statistically extremely significant. The "Mean" score for low back pain decreased from 3.20 (with a standard deviation of 1.03) to 1.90 (with a standard deviation of 0.92) in the post test. The calculated "t" value was 15.28, which was highly significant at the p0.001 level. No significant difference in menopausal symptoms between the control and experimental groups was predicted under the null hypothesis before and after weight-bearing exercises, was thus disproved. In order to achieve the desired results, Nurse Midwife must continue to advocate weight bearing exercise for menopausal women.

Psychometric properties and validity of the Menopause Rating Scale in postmenopausal Portuguese women.

The aim of the study is to analyze the reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) among postmenopausal Portuguese women. A total of 184 postmenopausal women completed the Portuguese MRS. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were studied. Construct, convergent, and concurrent validity were assessed. The 10-item Cervantes Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to determine convergent and concurrent validity, respectively. The ability and accuracy of the Portuguese MRS to discriminate between women with and without anxiety and depression cases were evaluated, and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used. The Portuguese MRS showed an appropriate level of internal consistency (Cronbach α, 0.84 for MRS total score) and test-retest reliability (MRS total score; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-0.96). Factor analysis (construct validity) revealed a 3-factor structure (explained variance of 62.08%). The MRS total score and its 3 factors showed good convergent (10-item Cervantes Scale) and concurrent (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety and depression) validity (all P < 0.001). The Portuguese MRS total score was significantly able to discriminate between postmenopausal women with and without anxiety (P < 0.001) and depression (P = 0.001), with a cutoff point of 15.50 (80.00% sensitivity and 63.70% specificity) for detecting depression and a cutoff point of 16.50 (82.35% sensitivity and 78.57% specificity) for identifying anxiety. The Portuguese MRS has been shown to be a valid and reliable questionnaire for assessing the severity of menopausal symptoms and discriminating among postmenopausal women with and without anxiety and depression.

Longitudinal associations between sleep quality and menopausal symptoms among community-dwelling climacteric women: A multi-centered study

Study objectivesMenopausal symptoms exist in most climacteric women, which can harm the quality and satisfaction of life for them. Moreover, a series of ineluctable negative life changes experienced in middle-age usually make the situation more complicated and stressful. We aimed to determine the trajectories and influential factors of sleep quality and menopausal symptoms and their longitudinal interrelationships among climacteric women. MethodsA total of 1875 community-dwelling climacteric women were included in this study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were adopted to assess sleep quality and menopausal symptoms, respectively. Data were collected 4 times from March 2019 to December 2019, at a 3-month interval. ResultsThe Cross-lagged analysis showed that worse sleep quality and more severe menopausal symptoms over time after controlling for specified covariates, and more severe menopausal symptoms were predicted by declined sleep quality. The Generalized estimation equation model showed that education level, marital status, chronic diseases, life events, income, and age were the influential factors of sleep quality, while menopausal symptoms were impacted by marital status and income. ConclusionsIncreasing negative sleep quality and more severe menopausal symptoms over time contribute to the health burden of climacteric women. Menopausal symptoms could be alleviated by sleep quality improvement, which is influenced by education level, marital status, chronic diseases, life events, age, and economic factors.

Effect of Fennel Aromatherapy (Foeniculum Vulgare) On Decreasing Menopause Symptom Levels in Menopausal Women in Tunjung Village Bangkalan Regency Indonesia

Menopause is a natural event in a woman's life cycle. Hormonal changes that occur during menopause cause more than 80% of women to experience symptoms both physical and psychological with various pressures and disorders, causing a decrease in the quality of life. One of the non-pharmacological treatments to reduce the level of menopausal symptoms is Fennel aromatherapy. This study aims to determine the effect of Fennel Aromatherapy on reducing the level of menopausal symptoms. This type of research is Quasy Experimental with Non-Equivalent Control Group Design. The population of postmenopausal women aged 45-55 years is 62 people. Samples were taken using the purposive sampling technique of 22 people per group. The instrument used is the MRS (Menopause Rating Scale) questionnaire. statistical test using Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test with α 0.05. The results showed that most menopausal women (68.2%) from the control group and most menopausal women (72.7%) from the treatment group had severe menopausal symptoms. After being given the intervention, there was a decrease in the treatment group where half of menopausal women (50.0%) had moderate levels of menopausal symptoms. The results of the analysis obtained p-value 0.000058 or &lt;α (0.05) which means that there is an influence of Fennel Aromatherapy (Foeniculum Vulgare) on decreasing the level of menopausal symptoms. This research can add alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms in the BATRA program at community health centers. It is hoped that postmenopausal women can use safe alternative therapies such as Fennel Aromatherapy to treat menopausal symptoms so that it can improve the quality of life of women during menopause without serious side effects.

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

BackgroundPostmenopausal 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.MethodsThis 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).ResultsThe 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).ConclusionThe 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.

Impact of perimenopausal symptomatology on quality of life in Mongolian women

This cross-sectional study focussed on perimenopausal Mongolian women and aimed to determine the quality of life (QOL) and risk factors in this population. We collected data on 392 women using a predesigned questionnaire and classified the participants according to menopausal status. We used The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF. Blood pressure (p = .003) and body mass index (p = .02) were significantly high, whereas sexual activity was significantly decreased in postmenopausal women (p = .001). In perimenopausal women, somatovegetative (p = .003) and psychological (p = .025) symptoms were significantly severe, and menopausal symptom severity was significantly higher (p = .017). Menopausal symptoms (p = .02) and monthly sexual activity (p = .005) significantly influenced overall QOL. Sexuality had a significantly negative effect on psychological health (p = .03). Age, occupation, menopausal stage and somatovegetative symptoms have significant effects on health-related QOL (p< .05). Our findings showed that menopausal symptoms and sexual activity significantly affect QOL in middle-aged Mongolian women. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Women experience physiological changes at the onset of menopause. However, as their oestrogen levels decline, many women also experience physical, psychological and somatovegetative symptoms. Postmenopausal health has been the main issue affecting middle-aged women, until recently. Here, we showed that menopausal transition is a turning point for middle-aged women and suggest that more attention should be paid to the health of perimenopausal women in Mongolia. What do the results of this study add? The study results showed that perimenopausal women had a higher prevalence of health-related problems than postmenopausal women, including weight gain, cardiovascular symptoms and vasomotor symptoms. The prevalence of genitourinary health problems increased with age. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? General practitioners and gynaecologists in Mongolia should acquire a better understanding of the physiological changes that occur during menopause and pay greater attention to genitourinary issues as they affect general, health-related quality of life.

Associations of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus with menopausal symptoms at midlife in Project Viva.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of a lifetime history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with menopausal symptoms in midlife. This was a secondary analysis of women participating in Project Viva, an ongoing cohort enrolled during pregnancy. The exposure was lifetime history of HDP or GDM assessed for the index pregnancy by review of outpatient and hospital medical records and for all other pregnancies by interview or questionnaire at study entry (1999-2002) and the midlife visit (2017-2021). The primary outcome was the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) applied at the midlife study visit. We used linear or logistic regression models adjusted for covariates such as baseline age, race/ethnicity, education, married/cohabiting, household income, baseline parity, age at menarche, and body mass index at midlife. Of the 676 included participants, 120 (18%) had a history of HDP, and 47 (7%) had a history of GDM. The mean (SD) age was 52 (3.9) years at the midlife visit, and 48% of the participants had experienced menopause. There were no consistent differences in total, domain-specific, or individual symptoms in women with a history of HDP or GDM. A history of HDP and/or GDM was not associated with age at the onset of natural menopause. Our findings do not support an association of a history of HDP or GDM with the severity of menopausal symptoms or age at the onset of natural menopause. Larger studies of women with a history of these pregnancy complications are needed to clarify their association with menopausal symptoms.

Factors associated with initiation and continuation of endocrine therapy in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

BackgroundDespite benefits of endocrine therapy (ET) for patients with hormone-receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer, many patients do not initiate or discontinue ET against recommendations.MethodsWe identified variables associated with ET initiation and continuation, analyzing pooled data from two longitudinal studies at a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center in St. Louis, Missouri. The sample included 533 women with newly diagnosed, non-metastatic, HR-positive breast cancer who completed interviews at enrollment and 6, 12, and 24 months after definitive surgical treatment. Logistic regression models estimated the adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (aOR [95% CI]) for each of self-reported ET initiation by the 12-month interview and continuation for ≥12 months by the 24-month interview in association with self-reported diabetes, elevated depressed mood, menopausal-symptom severity and obesity, adjusting for race, age, insurance status, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.ResultsOverall, 81.4% (434/533) of patients initiated ET, and 86.5% (371/429) continued ET ≥12 months. Patients with diabetes had lower odds of initiating ET (0.50 [0.27-0.91]). Patients reporting greater menopausal-symptom severity had lower odds of continuing ET (0.72 [0.53-0.99]).ConclusionEfforts to increase ET initiation among patients with diabetes and better manage severe menopausal symptoms among ET users might promote ET continuation.Clinical trial informationClinicalTrials.gov: #NCT00929084.

The Impact of Walking Programs on Reduction of Menopausal Symptoms: A Scoping Review

Abstract Keywords: Menopause, Walking, Pedometer-based Walking Aim: To conduct a scoping review of the existing literature on walking programs for menopausal women and explore the impact of various walking interventions on the reduction of menopausal symptoms. Background: Menopause is natural occurring phenomenon for women and can present with several physical and mental symptoms that are more severely experienced by some individuals. These experiences can be very distressing for women to deal with, especially in light of their personal, social, and work lives. The substantial impact of menopausal symptoms direly calls for effective coping strategies and treatment methods. Specific to menopause, physical activity is a form of treatment that can decrease occurrences and severity of menopausal symptoms. Previous studies have reported the benefits of walking in reducing symptoms, yet it is unclear which specific programs are most effective in reducing menopausal symptoms, especially in light of the time and efficacy barriers reported by menopausal women. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in nine databases for articles published up to September 2011, to identify studies exploring the topic of interest. Two investigators independently screened articles and two investigators independently extracted data based on specific themes. Mean differences and effect sizes were calculated to determine the effectiveness of walking interventions. Risk of bias assessments were also conducted for all reviewed studies. Findings: Seven studies, including five RCTs, met all inclusion criteria. All studies presented improvements in post-intervention menopausal symptoms of depression, sleep quality and physiological markers. Amongst all interventions (Pedometer-based programs, Nordic walking, walking training and SaBang Dolgi), pedometer-based walking presented the greatest improvement from baseline frequencies. Amongst all symptoms, depression saw the greatest reduction post interventions. Conclusion: Pedometer-based walking programs seem to be the most effective intervention for reduction of menopausal symptoms. Findings are comparable to those of other studies.

A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Performances in Physically Active Late Pre- and Early Post-Menopausal Females.

Menopause accelerates increases in arterial stiffness and decreases cognitive performances. The objective of this study was to compare cognitive performances in physically active pre- and post-menopausal females and their relationship with arterial stiffness. We performed a cross-sectional comparison of blood pressure, carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and cognitive performances between physically active late pre- and early post-menopausal females. Systolic (post-menopause—pre-menopause: +6 mmHg [95% CI −1; +13], p = 0.27; ŋ2 = 0.04) and diastolic (+6 mmHg [95% CI +2; +11], p = 0.06; ŋ2 = 0.12) blood pressures, and cf-PWV (+0.29 m/s [95% CI −1.03; 1.62], p = 0.48; ŋ2 = 0.02) did not differ between groups. Post-menopausal females performed as well as pre-menopausal females on tests evaluating executive functions, episodic memory and processing speed. Group differences were observed on the computerized working memory task. Post-menopausal females had lower accuracy (p = 0.02; ŋ2 = 0.25) but similar reaction time (p = 0.70; ŋ2 < 0.01). Moreover, this performance was inversely associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms (r = −0.38; p = 0.05). These results suggest that arterial stiffness and performance on tests assessing episodic memory and processing speed and executive functions assessing inhibition and switching abilities did not differ between physically active pre- and post-menopausal females. However, post-menopausal females had lower performance on a challenging condition of a working memory task, and this difference in working memory between groups cannot be explained by increased arterial stiffness.

Descriptive study to assess the menopausal symptoms and quality of life among menopausal women in selected areas of Pune city

Menopause is reduction in estrogen and progesterone level. It is phase when menstrual cycle is completely stopped for longer. To assess the menopausal symptoms among menopausal women. To assess quality of life among menopausal women. To finding the association between menopausal symptoms and quality of life. To associate the findings with selected demographic variables. Material and Method: A Quantitative research design is used in this study. The study was conducted in selected areas of Pune City, India. Non-Probability Purposive sampling technique was used. Total 120 Samples of Menopausal Women were include in this study. Quality Of life (WHOQOL) –BREF standardized tool was used to assess the quality of life and Modified Menopausal Rating Scale was used to assess the severity of Menopausal symptoms. Menopausal Women filled the tool with in 15-20 minutes. The collected data was analyzed by using descriptive, frequency&amp; percentages methods in statistics. The Chi –Square is used to see the association between the quality of life and menopausal symptoms, demographic variable and quality of life and menopausal symptoms among menopausal women.

The Association of Menopausal Symptoms and Social Support Among Saudi Women at Primary Health Care Centers in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundMenopause is a challenging period for all women. The severity of menopausal symptoms hurts their quality of life and daily activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the severity of menopausal symptoms are associated with social support and lifestyle factors among Saudi women to help policymakers develop the appropriate intervention health program.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 361 middle-aged Saudi women was conducted through interviews using a valid and reliable questionnaire. The menopause rating scale (MRS) was used to determine the severity of menopausal symptoms and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) was used to assess perceived social support among females. Linear regression was conducted to assess the association between MRS scores and MSPSS scores after adjustment of covariates.ResultsThe mean total menopause rating scale was 13.7 ± 8.3. Physical and mental exhaustion (80.3%), joint and muscular discomfort (79.2%), and irritability (75.9%) were the most prevalent menopausal symptoms for all women. The mean MSPSS was calculated as 4.3 ±1.8. Perceived social support and lifestyle factors were significant predictors of menopausal symptoms.ConclusionsPostmenopausal Saudi women complain of a variety of physical and psychological symptoms. The current study shows that social support, quitting smoking, losing weight, and increasing physical exercise can help to alleviate or reduce many of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. This evidence will help policymakers design health intervention for this age group.

Menopausal symptoms in women aged 40-65 years in Indonesia

This study aims to determine the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and the factors that influence it in women aged 40-65 years in Denpasar, Indonesia. The research design used is a cross-sectional study conducted on 318 women aged 40-65 years who live in the area of community health centre in Denpasar City, Indonesia. The Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) was used to classify pre, peri and post menopause. The instrument used is a self-designed instrument to determine the respondent's characteristics such as age, number of children, age at menarche, occupation, marital status, education, exercise habits, coffee drinking habits and history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. know menopausal symptoms. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for severe menopausal symptoms. The most common symptoms felt by the respondents in this study were joint and muscle discomfort (52.8%) and sleep problems (51.8%). Only 32.1% of women experienced hot flushes and night sweats symptoms of moderate and severe severity. Age at menarche, history of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus are risk factors for severe menopausal symptoms. Most women when entering menopause complain of more than one menopause symptom, both somatic, psychological and urogenital symptoms.

A cross sectional survey of 504 women regarding perceived risk factors and barriers to follow healthy lifestyle and association with sociodemographic factors and menopausal symptoms

Background and aimsMidlife women undergoing menopausal transition are predisposed to weight gain. Weight gain in midlife is driven by two modifiable risk factors: menopausal symptom's severity and lifestyle practices. The independent and interactive nature of menopausal symptoms and lifestyle practices as risk factors of weight gain has not been investigated yet. This study was undertaken to study menopausal symptoms and lifestyle practices as risk factors for weight gain in midlife women and identify midlife -related barriers in managing corrective lifestyle practices. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, menopausal symptom severity and lifestyle practices such as diet, exercise, and sleep were assessed using a pre-validated and reliable questionnaire on a convenience sample of midlife women (43–55 years) via an interview schedule. The association of lifestyle practices and its barriers with socio-demographics and menopausal symptoms were analysed. ResultA total of 504 women (mean age: 47.3 ± 4.1 years) were recruited. More than half of them followed corrective dietary practices, but only one-fourth engaged in moderate-intensity exercises. Total menopausal symptom severity was associated with increased food intake (P < 0.001), joint pain with limited physical activity and hot flashes and emotional volatility with sleep disturbances (P < 0.01). Demographic variables such as education, economic and employment status were associated with unhealthy lifestyle practices. ConclusionAssessment of menopausal symptoms and lifestyle practices as risk factors and associated barriers must be the pivotal component to devise comprehensive women-centric weight management modules. Similar studies should be carried out in future when there is no clear effect of COVID19 on lifestyle factors.

Thinking outside Pandora’s box: Revealing differential effects of coping with physical and psychological menopause symptoms at work

Menopause is one of the most distinctive and individualised aspects of health-related gendered ageing at work, which is important as more women than ever before are working through their entire menopause cycle. We turn to the life-span development model of Selection, Optimisation and Compensation (SOC), which has great potential to provide a more nuanced review of adaptive behavioural strategies for potential work-related resource loss owing to menopause. In this article, we provide evidence from two studies: study 1 was an inductive analysis of 21 interviews; study 2 tested a number of hypotheses emergent from study 1 on two survey samples ( N = 381). We found that women with severe menopause symptoms were adversely affected at work; however, the use of SOC alongside supervisory and female peer support, ameliorated the negative impact of physical menopause symptoms on work performance. We also identified that SOC use was actually detrimental to work performance when used to manage psychological menopause symptoms. Our findings advance the understanding of gendered ageing at work, specifically managing menopause at work, through the lens of SOC theory. We show how engaging in agentic adaptive behaviours can be both beneficial and detrimental for differentially managing physical and psychological menopause symptoms at work.

Long-Term Survival, Prognostic Factors, and Quality of Life of Patients Undergoing Pelvic Exenteration for Cervical Cancer.

Simple SummaryCervical cancer is a malignancy that can easily be prevented through the simplest means of investigation. However, every two minutes a woman dies worldwide due to cervical cancer. Upon closer inspection, the reasons for death include low compliance with screening programs and HPV vaccination, inadequate information, media coverage, ethnicity, conviction, and misinformation. In Europe, Romania has a forefront position regarding the incidence of, and mortality caused, by this disease. Despite the many efforts carried out to counteract this situation, cervical cancer has become an ongoing health issue that still needs debating, particularly in the developing countries of Eastern Europe. Consequently, and for the first time in Romania, the authors of this study aim at revealing, through scientifically validated elements, the prognostic factors that influence the survival of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration for FIGO stage IVA, recurrent or persistent cervical cancer after previous conclusive treatment. The study also rigorously assesses the quality of life, using validated questionnaires, placing Romania alongside those countries that have highlighted these issues and sought to find answers.Background: Considerable efforts have been carried out over the past 30 years to support patients with advanced cervical cancer. Throughout this time, Eastern European countries have been left aside from the decision-making groups on this matter, hence the absence of similar studies in this geographical area. In these countries, the quality of life (QoL) of patients with cervical cancer might be considered a “caprice”, and the discomforts they encounter following pelvic exenteration for cervical cancer are often perceived as a “normal phenomenon”. Methods: This study examined forty-seven patients submitted to pelvic exenteration followed up for nine years after the surgical intervention. The first objective of this study is to identify the prognostic factors that influence the overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration for FIGO stage IVA, recurrent or persistent cervical cancer after previous conclusive treatments. The second objective is to assess the QoL of the surviving patients using the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CX24 standardized questionnaires. Results: The mean age of the participants was 54 years (range 36–67). At the time of the study, there were 25 living patients (53.2%), the 3-year OS was 61%, and the 5-year OS was 48.7%. Cox regression analysis recognized parameter invasion, pelvic lymph node metastases, positive resection margins, early postoperative complications, and infralevatorian pelvic exenteration as negative prognostic factors influencing the OS (p < 0.05). Of the 25 survivors, 18 patients answered the QoL questionnaires. The cost of favorable survival has been translated into poor overall QoL, unsatisfactory functional, social, and symptom scores, a high prevalence of cervical cancer-specific symptoms such as lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy, severe menopausal symptoms, distorted body image, and lack of sexual desire. The lower scores are comparable to the only three studies available in the literature that assessed the QoL of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration precisely for cervical cancer. Conclusions: Despite its retrospective nature and some limitations, this paper, similar to other studies, shows a decent OS but with a marked adverse impact on QoL, suggesting the importance of adequate psycho-emotional and financial support for these patients following pelvic exenteration. This study also contributes to the current knowledge regarding advanced cervical cancer treatment, depicting survival, prognostic factors, and QoL of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration for cervical cancer in a reference center in Eastern Europe. Our study can provide a comparison for future prospective randomized trials needed to confirm these results.

Cardiometabolic risk factors and diabetes mellitus are related with the severity of menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women

Cardiometabolic risk factors and diabetes mellitus are related with the severity of menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women

Menopause transition: Physiology and symptoms.

With life expectancy for women on the rise, most women will experience menopausal transition and spend a significant number of years of their life in the menopausal phase. Menopausal transition involves a myriad of physical, endocrine, and psychological changes which are influenced by ethnic, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. Every woman's experience of the menopausal transition is unique, and a one-size-fits-all approach to the management of symptoms does not work. An understanding of the pathophysiology and severity of menopausal symptoms and the benefits and risks associated with both hormonal and non-hormonal treatments is important when individualising treatment options for menopausal symptoms.