Factors Affecting Life Process of Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: With increasing life expectancy in women, they spend one third of their life after menopause. For this reason, the process of physical and psychosocial changes is very important in this stage of life. The aim of the present study was to assess the factors affecting life process of postmenopausal women.METHODS: This cross sectional study was performed on 700 postmenopausal women of Babol (Iran) aged between 40-60 years with natural menopause and without using hormone therapy by random and cluster sampling method. Data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting of two parts. First part assessed demographic factors and menopausal status of participants and second part was the questions related to life process by menopause specific quality of life (MENQOL) questionnaire in psychosocial and physical domains. After gathering information, the variables were assessed and compared. FINDINGS: The mean menopause age in Babol town was 48.57±1.55. The mean score of life quality in psychosocial and physical domains was 23.07±6.52 and 55.38±7.99, respectively. There was a significant relationship between psychosocial and physical dimensions of quality of life with age, education level and economic level (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant relationship between psychosocial and physical dimensions and marital status and between psychosocial dimension and smoking by individuals and family members (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that educational level, economic level and age effect on life process of postmenopausal women.

Keywords

• Menopause
• Quality of life
• Economic level
• Educational level.