Knowledge and perception of postmenopausal women towards menopause

Haamid Ismail; Farhana Fayaz; Nadia Ismail

doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20204878

Authors

Haamid Ismail Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Farhana Fayaz Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Government Medical College, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Nadia Ismail Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20204878

Keywords:

Knowledge, Menopause, Perception

Abstract

Background: Aim of the research was to study the knowledge and perception of postmenopausal women towards menopause.

Methods: It was a cross sectional study which was carried at outpatient department of psychiatry, Government medical college, Srinagar over a period of 3 months. Participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study were evaluated on a semi-structured proforma for demographic variables, knowledge and attitude towards menopause.

Results: A total of 120 postmenopausal women were included in our study. Mean age of study population was s 54.5±8.6 years. Majority of women belonged to rural background (80.0%) in the age group of 51-60 years (58.3%), married (78.3%), having 1-3 issues (53.3%) and had received no formal education (67.5%). Menopause was natural in (80.8%) of women and (19.2%) had surgical menopause. 85% of study population had heard about menopause at the time their periods stopped mostly from family elders and friends. 45% had knowledge about the age of the menopause, while as only (20.8%) were aware about the symptoms of menopause. 56.6% of study population were having positive perception about the menopause.

Conclusions: Majority of our women were unaware of menopausal symptoms. Most of them considered it as a natural process of aging and thus were having a positive perception about the menopause.

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