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Negative view of menopause influenced by symptoms

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Through the North American Menopause Society Menopause Health Questionnaire, researchers report they were able to assess the negative view of menopause associated with its symptoms.

“As we know, there are multiple determinants of menopausal experience, including biological, psychological and sociological factors that influence the experience,” Richa Sood, MD, NCMP, of the department of general internal medicine and the women’s health clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said during a presentation at the North American Menopause Society 23rd Annual Meeting.

Sood and colleagues used self-reported responses to 33 questions in section 13 of the Menopause Health Questionnaire to examine how bothersome symptoms were for patients. The median age of the 2,126 patients included in the study was 52 years.

According to Sood, the most common symptoms included difficulty staying asleep (51.6%), feeling tired (49.8%), hot flashes (42.7%), lack of interest in sexual activity (42.4%), weight gain (41.9%) and night sweats (37.9%).

The researchers found that positive views of menopause were reported by 1,161 women, and 210 women reported a negative view of menopause. The remaining 755 women in the study did not report a clear view.

According to data, the most common symptoms among women who viewed menopause in a negative light included difficulty concentrating (34.9%; OR=2.1; 95% CI, 1.6-2.9), anxiety (30.9%; OR=2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.1) and irritability (29.4%; OR=2.4; 95% CI, 1.8-3.2).

“A negative view of menopause was associated most commonly with symptoms of anxiety, irritability, and concentration. Hot flashes and night sweats, although frequently reported, were not as commonly associated with a negative view of menopause,” Sood said.

More research is needed due to the multifactorial nature of symptoms and view of menopause, Sood said. – by Samantha Costa

For More Information:

Sood R. S-4. Presented at: The North American Menopause Society 23rd Annual Meeting; Oct. 3-6, 2012; Orlando, Fla.

Disclosure: Sood has no relevant financial disclosures.