Chen Y L, Voda A M, Mansfield P K
Westminster College School of Nursing, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105, USA.
Menopause. 1998 Spring;5(1):28-34.
The purpose of this research was to discover and describe the meaning of and attitudes toward menopause in midlife Chinese women in Taiwan. How these women learned about menopause was also explored.
Questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 208 Chinese women aged 35 to 55 living in Taiwan; 168 responded. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Percentage and chi-square were used to examine the quantitative data.
The findings revealed that 154 (91.7%) women perceived menopause as a natural phenomenon. No statistically significant differences in attitude toward menopause were found between women grouped by different menopausal levels, by use or not use of hormones, or by religious preference. Some women described menopause as, "no longer young, getting old." Others described menopause as, "wisdom and maturation," "a symbol of achievement," and "a time to start enjoying life." Sixty-eight (40.5%) of the sample indicated they obtained menopausal information from friends and printed materials such as books, newspapers, and magazines.
Study findings indicate that Chinese women in Taiwan perceive menopause in a positive and holistic way. Culturally sensitized Western practitioners can utilize this study's findings to more appropriately individualize care for Chinese midlife women.
本研究旨在发现并描述台湾中年中国女性对更年期的认知及态度。同时也探讨这些女性是如何了解更年期的。
向居住在台湾的208名年龄在35至55岁的中国女性组成的便利样本发放问卷；168人进行了回复。采用内容分析法对定性数据进行分析。使用百分比和卡方检验来分析定量数据。
研究结果显示，154名（91.7%）女性认为更年期是一种自然现象。在按不同更年期阶段、是否使用激素或宗教信仰分组的女性中，对更年期的态度未发现统计学上的显著差异。一些女性将更年期描述为“不再年轻，逐渐变老”。另一些女性则将更年期描述为“智慧与成熟”、“成就的象征”以及“开始享受生活的时刻”。样本中有68名（40.5%）表示她们从朋友以及书籍、报纸和杂志等印刷材料中获取更年期信息。
研究结果表明，台湾的中国女性以积极和全面的方式看待更年期。对文化敏感的西方从业者可以利用本研究的结果，更恰当地为中国中年女性提供个性化护理。
