Well-being, symptoms and the menopausal transition

doi:10.1016/0378-5122(95)00970-1

Maturitas

Volume 23, Issue 2, March 1996, Pages 147-157

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-5122(95)00970-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Objectives: This paper reviews the knowledge accumulated from published population studies of health and ill-health experiences during the menopausal transition. Results: Well-being: mid-aged women are more likely to report positive moods than negative moods. Well-being is not associated with menopausal status but is associated with current health status, psychosocial and lifestyle variables. Symptoms: Symptoms vary greatly across cultures, with North American and European samples reporting higher rates of symptoms than Asian women. The most symptomatic women in the North American samples and Australian studies are those whose menstrual cycles have changed. Vasomotor symptoms increase through the menopausal transition. Other variables such as socio-demographic, health status, stress, premenstrual complaints, attitudes to ageing and menopause, and health behaviors are associated with the occurrence of symptoms. Psychological complaints: There is no increase in the incidence of major depression with the menopause. Negative moods are not associated with the natural menopausal transition. Factors associated with negative moods include surgical menopause, prior depression, health status, menstrual problems, social and family stressors and negative attitudes to menopause. Sexuality: Several studies suggest a decline in sexual functioning associated with menopausal status rather than ageing. Social factors and health status factors are also associated with sexual outcomes. Recommendations: Future research should bring together biomedical and sociological aspects. Positive aspects of health should be assessed as well as troubling symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed with measures of hormonal change. Promoting positive attitudes to ageing and menopause, health lifestyles and stress reduction can be used as community interventions and as part of individual care.

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Citation Excerpt :
Menopause is an important event in most women’s lives because it marks the end of the natural reproductive life. The menopause is a time in which changes in physical, mental health and sexuality occur.1–3 The most common symptoms of menopause are: sleep disturbances (76.3 %), fatigue (73.7 %), and lack of sexual interest (60.1 %).
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A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA) was used to determine if mean scores in the criteria differed significantly between time points within subjects. The results obtained indicate that the cranial massage techniques had a large, positive between-subjects effect on our three criteria (Wilks Λ = .83, F(_{3, 44}) = 3.04, p. <.05; Partial η = .17; ƒ = .45) as well as a large, positive between-within subjects effect (Wilks Λ = .64, F(_{6, 41}) = 3.91, p. <.01; Partial η = .36; ƒ = .76). In short, our treatment improved participants’ mental health, partially ameliorated the decrease in scores on the Menopause Rating Scale and stopped the decrease in Body Image perception’s scores.
The craniofacial massage protocol, applied to the craniofacial sphere, constitutes a complementary and valid therapy-based therapeutic option for clinicians in the treatment of different symptoms that occur in the climacteric period.
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Sixty-nine percent (137/199) of the included women reported moderate or severe symptoms on the MRS, a mean of 7.9 years after RRSO. Fifty-seven percent (94/137) of these women reported severe urogenital symptoms, and about one-quarter reported severe psychological and/or somato-vegetative symptoms. Only psychological symptoms tended to improve over time (>=10 years). A personal history of breast cancer was independently associated with having moderate or severe menopausal symptoms (OR = 3.4; 95%CI = 1.6–7.1).
The majority of women report moderate or severe menopausal symptoms, even 10 years after surgical menopause, and breast cancer survivors especially. To improve quality of life, follow-up care after RRSO should focus on these symptoms and be accessible for many years after RRSO.
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Citation Excerpt :
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To explain the controversy about whether midlife women who self-report hot flashes have relatively increased affective symptoms, poor cognitive performance or worse sleep.
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View all citing articles on Scopus

¹: Paper prepared for who symposium ‘Research on the menopause in the 1990's’, Geneva 14–17 June, 1994.

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Well-being, symptoms and the menopausal transition

Abstract

Am J Obstet Gynecol

Maturitas

Maturitas

Soc Sci Med

J Clin Epidemiol

Soc Sci Med

Maturitas

Maturitas

Maturitas

Soc Sci Med

Soc Sci Med

Maturitas

Maturitas

Maturitas

Maturitas

Clin Obstet Gynaecol

Maturitas

The fate of the nontreated postmenopausal woman. A plea for the maintenance of adequate estrogen from puberty to the grave

J Am Geriatr Soc

Sociologidal perspectives on the medicalization of menopause

Ann NY Acad Sci

Directions for menopause research

The concept of illness behaviour: culture situation and personal predisposition

Psychol Med

Health status and utilisation behaviour associated with menopause

Am J Epidemiol

The treatment seeking woman at menopause

Maturitas