A Study to assess the menopausal problems among postmenopausal women residing in selected rural and urban areas of Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana

 

Neelam Kumari, Taruna

Swami Vivekanand Nursing College, Sector 18 HUDA, Jagadhri, Distt. Yamuna Nagar - 135001 (Haryana).

*Corresponding Author E-mail: neelamsheoran29@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Menopause is one of the most crucial phase of women’s life and can be influenced by various socio demographical factors including age, educational status, age at menarche, smoking status etc. It is the permanent cessation of menstruation for at least 12 consecutive months. Women face lots of menopausal problems (physical, psychological, urogenital etc.) during postmenopausal phase. Thus, the present study mainly focuses on menopausal problems among postmenopausal women in selected rural and urban areas of Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana. Objectives: To assess the menopausal problems among postmenopausal women and to find out the association between menopausal problems and demographic variables. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study design was adopted for the current study. The study was conducted at selected rural and urban areas at Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana. The non-probability convenient sampling technique was used. 100 menopausal women residing in selected rural and urban areas were recruited for the study. The study included women who have attained menopause, who understand Hindi, English and designated language, who are residents of rural and urban areas of Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar and the study excluded women who are not willing to participate and having any major medical disorder. Self-structured rating scale was used to assess the menopausal problems. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 16. Results: The study findings show that, majority (59%) of respondents had mild menopausal problems, 41% had moderate menopausal problems and none of woman had severe menopausal problems. It is found that there is significant association between menopause attained and menopausal problems of respondents at 0.05 levels with chi square values (13.394) and p-value (0.000). Conclusion: It is concluded that most of the women were having mild menopausal problems. There is need to provide nursing education, health education programme and awareness to handle the menopausal problems and to ease the sufferings of women.

 

KEYWORDS: Menopause, Menopausal Problems, and Postmenopausal women.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

“There is no more creative force in the world than the menopausal woman with zest”

                                                                -Margaret Mead

Menopause is natural hormonal milestone usually occurs between 47 and 54 years of age and average age of menopause in context of Indian women is 46.2 years less than western women (51 years).1 As per report of WHO scientific group, natural menopause as the permanent cessation of menstruation resulting from the loss of ovarian follicular activity.2 It is predicted that in 2026, India’s population reached up to 1.4 billion among which 173 million population will be over 60 years of age and menopausal population touch 103 million.3

 

Naturally, menopause occurs resulting of decline ovarian follicular hormonewhich further leads to decline of estrogen hormone level in blood and increase in FSH level.4 Although, not every women go through natural menopause. Some women undergo induced menopause as the outcome of surgery or medical treatments such as chemotherapy and pelvic radiation therapy. Common causes of induced menopause include oophorectomy, ovarian ablation, pelvic injuries and pelvic radiation.5 Menopause transition is a turning phase of women’s life from fertile phase to non-fertile phase of life. Peri menopause/menopause transition is the period immediate after menopause and up to one year after the final menstrual period and last for 3-5 year.

 

Menopausal problems affect the women’s life in various ways such as changes the physical, emotional, social and financial quality of life. Decreased estrogen levels and relative hormone excess affects women’s health in many ways resulting in alter most of the body organs and systems such as the skin, hair, neuropsychiatric changes, physical, psychological, musculoskeletal and urogenital symptoms as reported by L. OlubemigaAbodunrinet, et. al.6 Around 75% of women experiences joint and muscular pain, tiredness, hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations and migraine, 45% have psychogenic and 60% have urogenital problems.7

 

The result of studies that are conducted in South India reveals that tiredness, muscle and joint pain, lower back pain, poor memory and disturbed sleep pattern were the most frequently symptoms that occurred during menopause. Physical and psychological symptoms have more prevalence than vasomotor and sexual symptoms.8

 

However, many women avoid treatment of menopausal symptoms. Unfortunately women are not much aware of the changes brought about by menopause and other associated factors. Menopause health is primary concern in the Indian scenario as a result of increasing life expectancy and increasing population of menopausal women.9

 

OBJECTIVES:

●      To assess the menopausal problems among postmenopausal women.

●      To determine the association between selected demographic variables and the menopausal problems among postmenopausal women in selected rural and urban areas of Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar.

 

METHODOLOGY:

A quantitative research approach with descriptive research design was adopted for the study to assess the menopausal problems among postmenopausal women. Sample of 100 postmenopausal women were recruited by convenient sampling technique. The study included women who have attained menopause naturally, read and understand hindi, english and designated language, and residing rural and urban areas of Jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar and the study excluded women who are not willing to participate in the study and those who are having any major medical disorders. The study protocol was approved by the high authorities of nursing college. Formal permission was obtained from Municipal Counselor and village Sarpanch and informed consent was taken from subjects. Data was obtained using socio-demographic variables and rating scale which covers3 main domains (physical, psychological and urogenital) was used to assess the level of menopausal problems. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

In the present study, out of 100 post-menopausal women, 59(59%) women have mild menopausal problems, 20(41%) have moderate and none of women have severe menopausal problems. According to a study by Nisar N et.al, majority of the symptoms were categorized as mild.10

 

A study was conducted by Khatoon Aisha, HussainSamiaet. al reveals, majority of the women reported mild to moderate menopausal symptoms.11

 

Table 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of menopausal problems rating scale

Category

Frequency

Percentage (%)

Mild (0 – 37)

59

59

Moderate (38 – 74)

41

41

Severe (75 – 111)

0

0

Total

100

100%

 

This table signifies that 59% women had mild menopausal symptoms while 49 % had moderate menopausal symptoms.

 

Table 2: Association of demographic variables with menopausal problems

Sr. No.

Item

(F)

(%)

Chi square (ᵪ2)

Df

P value

Level of significance

1

Age

a.  < 40

b.  40-45

c.  46-50

d.  51-55

e.  56-60 and above

 

10

15

22

20

33

 

10

15

22

20

33

13.175

4

0.010

Non-significant

2

Education status

a)  Illiterate

b) Primary education

c)  Secondary education

d) Graduation

e)  Post-graduation

 

46

19

20

15

00

 

46

19

20

15

00

2.857

3

0.414

Non-significant

3

Occupation status

a)  Homemaker

b) Govt.job

c)  Private job

d) Retired

e)  Business

f)  Labor

 

73

1

8

7

1

10

 

73

1

8

7

1

10

12.069

5

0.034

Non-significant

4

Marital status

a)  Single

b) Married

c)  Divorced

d) Widow

 

00

78

1

21

 

00

78

1

21

4.488

2

0.106

Non-significant

5

Area of residence

a)  Urban

b) Rural

 

48

52

 

48

52

2.243

1

0.134

Non-significant

6

Year of since menopause

a)  <5 year

b) >5year

 

29

71

 

29

71

0.894

1

0.344

Non-significant

7

Age at menarche

a)  11-12

b) 13-14

c)  15-16

 

6

40

54

 

6

40

54

8.671

2

0.013

Non-significant

8

Menopause attained by

a)  Naturally

b) Surgically

 

80

20

 

80

20

13.394

1

0.000

Significant

9

Smoking status

a)  Non smoker

b) Past smoker

c)  Current smoker

 

95

4

1

 

95

4

1

1.862

2

0.394

Non-significant

This table depicts the association of demographic variables with menopausal symptoms reveals significant values i.emenopause attained (p value = 0.000, highly significant).

 

CONCLUSION:

The present study reveals that there is mild menopausal symptoms 59(59%), moderate menopausal symptoms 41(41%) among post-menopausal women in selected rural and urban areas of jagadhri, Yamuna Nagar.  Study shows that there is an association of demographic variables with menopausal symptoms. It is important to create awareness among health professionals so that easily identification of potential risk factors associated with menopausal problems. In digital era, various possibilities including digital apps, application of various coping strategies and social support network can prevent future complications related to menopause and is guaranteed enhance women’s quality of life. Hence, health workers make a positive impact on the women’s health by promoting a healthy lifestyle, aware and trained them about the need of hormonal and non-hormonal therapies to ease the sufferings of women.

 

REFERENCES:

1.      Ahuja Maninder, Sharma Sudha et.al. Age of menopause and determinants of menopause age: A PAN India Survey by IMS. J Midlife Health. 2016 Jul-Sep; 7(3): 126-131. doi: 10.410310976-7800.191012.

2.      World Health Organization Research on the Menopause in the 1990’s. 1996 Geneva WHO.

3.      Unni. J. Third consensus meeting of Indian menopause society (2008): a Summary. J Mid Life Health. 2010 Jan-Jun [cited on 2012 Dec 07]; 1(1): (about 5p).

4.      Ola Olorum, F, and Shen, W. Menopause. Oxford research encyclopedia of global public health. Retrieved from https:// oxfordre.com/ public health/ view/ 10.1093/ acrefore/ 9780190632366-e-176.

5.      https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/medical-procedures-menopause

6.      L. Olubemiga Abodunrin et. al. Challenges and coping strategies adopted by menopausal women in a local government of southwestern state, Nigeria. European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research ejpmr, 2017, 4(7), 864-870,1501664427. Pdf.

7.      Peacock, K., and Ketvertis, K.M. (2018). Menopause. Treasure Island, FL: Stat Pearls Publishing.

8.      Bairy I, Aditya S, Bhat P and Bhat R. prevalence of menopausal symptoms and quality of life after menopause in women from south India. Aus and New Zeal J of Obs and Gynae. 2009; 49: 106-9.

9.      Bagga A. Age and symptomatology of menopause: a case study. Obstetrics and gynecology today; IX: 660-666.

10.   NisarNusrat, Sohoo Ahmed Nisar and SikanderRaheel. Menopausal symptoms: prevalence, severity and correlation with sociodemogrphic and reproductive characteristics. A cross sectional community based survey from rural Sindh Pakistan. J Pak Med Assoc 2015; 65: 409-413.

11.   Khatoon A, Hussain S, et. al. an overview of menopausal symptoms using the menopause rating scale in a tertiary care center. J Mid Life Health 2018; 9: 150-4. https://www.jmidlifehealth.org/text.asp?2018/9/3/150/241942

 

 

 

 

Received on 06.07.2022         Modified on 10.09.2022

Accepted on 21.10.2022       ©A&V Publications All right reserved

Int.  J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2022; 10(4):397-400.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2652.2022.00087