Nagaraj Deepika, Ramesh Naveen, Devraj Divya, Umman Marciya, John Anila K, Johnson Avita Rose
Department of Community Medicine, St. John's Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka India.
J Midlife Health. 2021 Jul-Sep;12(3):199-205. doi: 10.4103/jmh.JMH_196_20. Epub 2021 Oct 16.
There is a culture of silence around menopause in India, more so among rural women. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, factors associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms, and perceptions regarding menopause among rural perimenopausal women.
A cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural hospital, among women aged 40 years or more, having experienced at least one menstrual cycle in the past 1 year. Structured interview schedule was administered to capture perceptions of menopause. Symptoms of menopause and severity were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and participants screened for depression using patient health questionnaire-9.
Among 200 women, the prevalence of symptoms of menopause was 70%. Commonly reported symptoms were somatic symptoms: Joint/muscular pain, hot flushes, and psychological symptoms: Physical/mental exhaustion, anxiety. Median overall MRS score was low (4 [interquartile range = 1, 7]), pointing out to lesser severity. Significant association was found between MRS score and higher body mass index ( = 0.007), tobacco-chewing ( = 0.023), and depression ( < 0.001). Perception of menopause was generally positive, but we also documented some myths and misconceptions regarding menopause that indicate a need for health awareness in this population.
This study found high prevalence but low severity of menopausal symptoms. Our findings point to a need for mitigating symptoms of menopause through diet, physical activity, tobacco cessation, and counseling for depression. Targeted interventions using community women's groups and village-level health workers are recommended to provide not only awareness regarding menopause but also an opportunity to screen for comorbidities with appropriate referrals.
在印度，围绕更年期存在一种沉默文化，农村女性中更是如此。本研究旨在评估农村围绝经期女性更年期症状的患病率、与更年期症状严重程度相关的因素以及对更年期的认知。
在一家农村医院对40岁及以上、过去1年至少经历过一次月经周期的女性进行了一项横断面研究。采用结构化访谈问卷来了解对更年期的认知。使用更年期评定量表（MRS）评估更年期症状及其严重程度，并使用患者健康问卷-9对参与者进行抑郁筛查。
在200名女性中，更年期症状的患病率为70%。常见症状包括躯体症状：关节/肌肉疼痛、潮热，以及心理症状：身心疲惫、焦虑。MRS总体中位数得分较低（4[四分位间距=1,7]），表明严重程度较轻。发现MRS得分与较高的体重指数（=0.007）、嚼烟（=0.023）和抑郁（<0.001）之间存在显著关联。对更年期的认知总体上是积极的，但我们也记录了一些关于更年期的误解和错误观念，这表明该人群需要提高健康意识。
本研究发现更年期症状患病率高但严重程度低。我们的研究结果表明需要通过饮食、体育活动、戒烟和抑郁咨询来缓解更年期症状。建议利用社区妇女团体和村级卫生工作者进行有针对性的干预，不仅要提高对更年期的认识，还要提供筛查合并症并进行适当转诊的机会。
