Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
TURKIYE KLINIKLERI TIP BILIMLERI DERGISI, cilt.29, sa.3, ss.666-674, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: To determine women's attitudes towards menopause and some influencing factors. Material and Methods: The research sample comprised 42 women who lived in neighborhoods registered in a Primary Health Center in Ankara, determined by a stratified cluster systematic random sampling method. The data were collected using a questionnaire form and the Neugarten and Kraines Attitudes towards Menopause Scale Turkish version with validity and reliability studied by Ucanok on Turkish women. The data were analyzed using Chi square and Tukey tests. Results: Half of the women (50.0%) were in the premenopausal period, 4.8% in the menopausal period and 45.2% in the postmenopausal period. Overall 64.3% of the women did not seek medical help and did not have knowledge on medical therapy. The rate of women using any therapy was 7.1%. Almost half of the participants defined menopause as "problematic". However, the mean score of women (61.80 +/- 10.12) suggested a positive attitude towards menopause. Educational levels (p= 0.012) and employment (p= 0.011) significantly correlated with attitude towards menopause and so was social withdrawal (p= 0.020) and vaginal itching (p= 0.005). Conclusions: This study suggested that overall women had positive attitudes toward menopause. Half of the women considered menopause problematic. Socio-demographic and reproductive factors related to attitudes towards menopause were education and employment status. This study provided a different point of view for menopause in a cross-section of the Turkish population. Further studies may provide information that is more detailed on the relationship between attitudes and some variables in different regions with similar sample groups. Women should be empowered with education and counseling on menopausal life periods from childhood to perimenopausal ages.