Factors affecting severity of menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among post-menopausal females in a teaching institution in central India.

Abstract

Menopause and its effects on lifestyle of a woman has now become an important emerging public health issue owing to the global rise in life expectancy. Menopause is not a disease but the symptoms and their severities, can be very challenging and remain largely ignored by the policy makers and physicians. The aim of the present study was to find out the factors influencing the severity of menopausal symptoms among post-menopausal females. A cross-sectional study conducted for a period of one year. Data collected using systematic random sampling from 255 post-menopausal women and analysis was performed with Epi-Info 7.2. Chi-square applied as statistical test of significance for the association between severity of menopausal symptoms and qualitative variables. <i>P</i> < 0.05 considered to be statistically significant. The mean age of the study participants was found to be 53.86 ± 7.15 years. The present study concludes that residing locality, educational status, occupation, certain lifestyle factors and some socio-cultural factors, type of menopause and duration since menopause was found to be statistically significantly related to severity of menopausal symptoms. Large efforts are required to make women aware of menopausal symptoms so that they can seek treatment, if necessary.